Since setting up her design firm, MB Architecture Studio, in 2007, Ar. Micaela Benedicto has built a diverse portfolio of architectural projects. Her works, whether residential or commercial, showcase a distinct spatial quality, “I like to create things that can go from something static to something that is alive and reactive,” Benedicto states. “In creating […]
10 Milan: Crafting Connections in a Multi-Generational Home
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The typical daily Philippine urban bustle recedes when entering the Merville neighborhood, winding through until you reach more genteel streets. This is where architect Sudar Khadka grew up, formerly in an older house on a 540-square meter lot, which his parents bought in the late 1980s. He has now designed and built a completely new house – 10 Milan – in its place for his parents and family.
A low-walled perforated fence already invites you into their front garden, with full-height windows on both ground and second floor facades open to the morning sun. These days the architect’s father, Shaun, likes to spend a lot of time on the front porch where he often has breakfast and watches videos on his tablet. Lilian’s (the architect’s mother) creative energy, as an artist and a practitioner of Sōgetsu, can be seen in the adornment of their outdoor space with bonsais perched on plinths.
Designing for Daily Life
It’s a far cry from the more rigid and dated configuration of their old home, which the family felt could not fulfil their wishes nor requirements today and for the future. Despite Lilian making adaptations over the years, and with Sudar himself having exhausted countless studies to remedy the house, they decided to start from scratch. “There wasn’t really a view to the outside in our old house, but now I feel the openness. That’s what I like most with the space [now]. I don’t have to go out and look at the sky; now I can look at the sky from everywhere in the house,” opines Shaun. In August 2024, after around three years from the house’s conception, the family finally moved in.
Through the largest space in the 400-square meter house, the double-height living and dining area, the first thing you notice is an array of timber screens with a solihiya pattern. Behind this is the master bedroom; the screens can be drawn back to simultaneously admit more light through and offer views into the garden right across the central space of the house. Upon closer inspection one will notice that the solihiya pattern has been intricately carved out of solid wood. “In Nepal, we call this the Ankhi Jhyal (a Newar window) or ‘eye window.’ You see it in the temples, you see it in old, ancient palaces…which are usually looking into a courtyard,” Shaun explains. Inside the bedroom it feels cavernous, with Shaun and Lilian able to see out and appreciate the morning daylight coming through without being seen themselves.
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Redefining the Vernacular
Sudar points out that this screen has the Filipino touch with the use of solihiya motif, and this epitomizes both the architect’s fascination with the vernacular and harnessing its wisdom into the architecture of today. It’s been a journey which began with the influence of his Nepalese roots; through to working at the renowned Leandro V. Locsin and Partners office; and participating at numerous international biennales as a vehicle to explore traditional building methods made modern.
Sudar elaborates, “There is a dichotomy between vernacular and modern architecture and construction. This whole discourse is incomplete, because of the question ‘Where does the vernacular end?’ Is it 1920? Or 1980? Or even 1800? I think it’s a flawed question to frame the concept of vernacular in terms of time… There are many definitions [of the vernacular], but the one I find most relevant is that the vernacular is what is immediate, what is accessible, and what is common. That’s the definition I apply to my work as well.”
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Photographed by Ed Simon.
Read more: Pflieder Residence: A Clay Cocoon by Lor Calma and Partners
Frequently Asked Questions
Multi-generational design thrives on “crafting connections” through shared, open spaces like the double-height living and dining area seen in 10 Milan. By replacing rigid, walled-off rooms with open layouts and central gathering points, family members can maintain a sense of togetherness while pursuing individual activities. This openness encourages spontaneous interaction and ensures that every generation feels connected to both the family and the surrounding environment.
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Solihiya is a traditional Filipino weaving pattern typically made of rattan, characterized by an intricate star-shaped weave that allows for airflow and filtered light. In modern homes, this motif is often reimagined as carved timber screens used for room dividers or window treatments. At 10 Milan, these screens provide a “Filipino touch” while acting as a functional barrier that admits daylight and offers views without sacrificing the privacy of the inhabitants.
The Ankhi Jhyal, or “eye window,” is a traditional Nepalese architectural feature often found in temples and palaces to look into courtyards. In a tropical context, this concept serves as a “see-through” screen that facilitates passive cooling and natural ventilation. By integrating this Nepalese heritage with Filipino vernacular elements, architects create a “clay cocoon” effect where residents can appreciate the sky and garden from within a cavernous, shaded interior.
Redefining the vernacular involves using what is “immediate, accessible, and common” rather than viewing tradition as a static style from the past. Architect Sudar Khadka argues that the vernacular should be adaptive, harnessing ancestral wisdom—like raising structures on stilts or using perforated fences—to solve modern problems like urban heat. This approach ensures that a new house feels both culturally rooted and technically equipped for the future.
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A frequent mistake is attempting to “remedy” a dated, rigid floor plan rather than starting from scratch when the existing structure fails to provide adequate light or views. Homeowners often suffer from a lack of visual connection to the outside in older configurations. When rebuilding, it is essential to prioritize an open layout that allows one to “look at the sky from everywhere,” transforming the home from a closed shelter into an inspiring space for daily life.
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