MOST Filipino contemporary houses are patterned after western style homes, at times, to the point of impracticality. Often, our real needs are ignored just so that the house is ?nasa uso,? making the homeowner ?in.?

Specific countries have their own idiosyncrasies or style and their traditional structures generally address their needs. In Japan for example, the ?Ryokan,? a typical Japanese house, has some features unique to the Japanese: a place to remove and store shoes, rooms covered in ?tatami? mats, minimal low-to-the-ground furniture and other features that can be quite strange to westerners.

Similarly, in Batanes, our very own Ivatan houses have almost no furniture inside, enabling multiple uses for the main areas: for dining and entertaining during the day and for sleeping at night. Again, the indigenous houses of the Ifugaos are just as flexible, as well as the houses on stilts of the Badjaos. But as Madonna says in the words of her popular song, we are living in this material world; and so, all the must-haves of the idealized western home fill up our domestic wish list.

True, our homes have evolved out of so many different influences. From the heavily carved furnishings of the Spaniards, to the brocade and lacquer ware of the Chinese, to the steel, glass and plastic of the Americans, we still keep a hodgepodge of foreign touches in our homes today. Too bad the Japanese did not stay here long enough to gift us with their love of restraint and serenity, when, in fact, the decorative instinct of our native tribes seem to have the closest resemblance to their simplicity and naturalness.

The sad part is that we seem to have gotten stuck with the past and persist on old norms, even when these have become impractical. It is hard to accept but it may be true that it is our nature to be complacent, merely accepting how things are and just working around it.

Look at the designs of our jeepneys, for example. Considering how many hours the driver spends behind the wheel of his vehicle, the total lack of ergonomic comfort of the jeepney seat is horrible. The vehicle is neither weather- and pollution-resistant for its passengers and is, sadly, quite inconvenient to enter or exit. Yet we still see this WWII invention plying our streets and it has even become a Filipino icon.

Sometimes our homes are the same. We are stuck with areas that are not very usable but are there because it is common in the West. But the good news is that it?s never too late to design the right home for the Filipino. All one needs is to think, be innovative and bold, and focus on what one needs and not what one only sees on television.

This is why the organizers of the competition, ?Ang Pinakamagandang Bahay sa Balat ng Lupa? have to be admired a lot. They have conceptualized an architectural design competition challenging local architects to design the real contemporary Filipino home. The competition is spearheaded by the University of the Philippines.

Factors to consider

In analyzing the Filipino home, the designer must consider several factors. You know it is a Filipino home if?

? Cleanliness is a natural trait. Often, the shoes worn outside are not the same footwear for inside the house. When shoes are left outside the house, storage space should be provided for these.

? Eating is a favorite pastime. It is an activity that goes on almost the whole day and, many times, does not have to interrupt the viewing of favorite TV shows. Some people would like a spot for a TV set in the dining area and, probably, enough bench space to stretch out for an after-meal siesta. It also means we must give priority to dining rooms more than living rooms. Dining rooms must be set up like an extension of living rooms.

? Filipinos love to decorate their walls. In the dining area, there is usually an image of The Last Supper or a display case of the family?s prized dishes or mementos. A wall and shelves for these distinctive decorations must be provided.

Filipinos love to eat bagoong, daing, dried pusit and all the delicious, smelly stuff. The kitchen must be properly ventilated to get rid of the odor.

? Filipinos are very hospitable. There is always an array of guests, relatives, friends and relatives of friends, to entertain. And for certain, serving food is a big part of the equation. When the ubiquitous guests leave, the hosts are left with lots of dishes to dry. A ?banguerahan? or dish-drying area may be the best solution.

? Filipinos have been segregating and recycling for ages, storing ?bote-dyaryo? for resale to junk shops. It?s about time to plan to make this task easier. Segregation bins must be made more accessible, even from inside the house.

? Filipinos are a hygienic lot and take a bath for long periods. There is frequently a ?tabo and balde? inside the toilet. A sufficient replacement or storage must be worked in. In addition, a bench or some seating may be provided inside the area to make this ?ritual? more comfortable.

? Filipinos love fashion and dressing up. In our climate, sometimes we need to change clothes more than once a day. You may then see a kilometer-long laundry line behind the house. An innovation is to provide a drying box which makes use of the heat radiated by the refrigerator to dry clothes.

Filipinos are a talented race and love music. You can hear them singing from the other side of the road. A space for an entertainment center, such as karaoke, DVD player and play station must be provided.

Devotion to God is given high importance. Maybe, it would be good to put an altar or prayer area in the center of the home. Seating could likewise be provided for longer prayer times.

? Filipinos are family-oriented. We enjoy our extended families and know each one to the nth degree. As a help to our families in the provinces, our homes become like hotels where they can stay when they are in town. Because of our hospitality, we sometimes offer our very own rooms. Day beds could be a solution, situated in the family room or living area.

? Filipinos cannot live without rice. Proper rice storage must be provided, as well as a pantry large enough for a cache of canned goods and cooking condiment.

Due likewise to the changes in demographics, wherein more women work outside the home, parents need to take turns in the kitchen, while multitasking the tutoring of the kids, caring for infants, plus other housework. So it could be a great idea to set up a corner where the children can study or play quite near the kitchen.

? Security of homes. These days, there are some homes left locked up when the homeowners leave for work. This used to be unthinkable in the city, but is now becoming more and more the norm. Security of homes must then be a prime design element. In our country, homes in the cities may be very different from the homes in the countryside where the air is cleaner, breezes are cooler and the neighborhood is safer.

In the city, you may have to contend with an enclosed house, for security, privacy and respect for rights of people living next to you, whereas in the countryside you may choose something more open. Not all have the luxury of space in the city, or the feeling of security. The design then must be sensitive to its environment.

To rediscover the design requirements of the contemporary Filipino home amid the jumble of influences requires the designer to look at the traits and practices of the average person. Only then will the home be both the cozy nest and the perfect palace for the modern Filipino.

For comments and suggestions, please send e-mail to marcosdeguzman@yahoo.com.