Architecture

Tampipi House: Designing Outside the Box

January 15, 2025
|
By 
Katherine Lopez

The Tampipi House is a modern interpretation of Filipino design. Crafted by Carlo Calma, Creative Director of Carlo Calma Consultancy, the structure features a minimalist exterior, with the facade decked with small square cutouts—an ode to the tampipi, which is a traditional handwoven box with a lid. 

The grains on the front door add a warm, organic touch to the facade of the house. Tampipi House: Designing Outside the Box by Carlo Calma.

The grains on the front door add a warm, organic touch to the facade of the house.

Calma designed this house for a small family: a couple and their teenage son. “We started with the concept of tampipi as a kind of box that when you open it, there’s a lot of surprises,” Calma explains. The lady of the house also narrates that in their first online meeting with Calma, there was a tampipi box on her desk, and she showed it to him as the design inspiration. “We wanted a space that felt like a cocoon for us, but was airy,” she shares. “We’ve always loved the aesthetic of Spanish houses outside the city, like the vacation houses where it’s white. It’s all clean.” 

Seamlessly Connected Spaces

True to the tampipi inspiration, the facade features a wall with square cutouts. This wall serves as a sun-shading device that helps filter sunlight and provides privacy, shielding the bedrooms from street view. This feature also eliminates the need for traditional gates, highlighting the form and aesthetics of the house.

Tampipi House: Designing Outside the Box by Carlo Calma, the indoor garden, featuring a katmon tree, serves as a cozy hangout spot.

The indoor garden, featuring a katmon tree, serves as a cozy hangout spot.

The white, concrete exterior also features a textural treatment crafted using stamping technique. This texture also gives the house character. “I loved it the first time we saw it,” begins the wife, adding that they first saw the wall treatment with afternoon sun. “When I was seeing the shadows of the texture, sabi ko, gawin natin sa buong bahay. It feels organic that way.” 

Love for Local

The Tampipi House also showcases Filipino craftsmanship, as seen in the Romblon marble bathroom countertops and dining table, custom-made Machuca tiles crafted in San Miguel, Manila used in the bathrooms and service kitchen, and furniture pieces and accessories sourced in Pampanga, Laguna, and other parts of the country. The homeowners mixed these pieces with repurposed old furniture. 

Tampipi House: Designing Outside the Box by Carlo Calma. The glass skylight allows natural light to pour in, creating bright and airy interiors. Meanwhile, furniture in neutral tones lends the spaces a refined look.

The glass skylight allows natural light to pour in, creating bright and airy interiors. Meanwhile, furniture in neutral tones lends the spaces a refined look.

The lady of the house, who is an interior designer herself, also has an impressive art collection. Works of Filipino contemporary artists like Migs Villanueva, Gary Custodio, Arce, Jonathan Olazo, and National Artist Benedicto “BenCab” Cabrera line one side of the living room. More artworks and objet d’art figure by the stairs, highlighting her deep appreciation for art and her innate talent for curation. 

Embodying Creative Approaches

Tampipi House: Designing Outside the Box by Carlo Calma. Warm lighting enhances the Tampipi House’s exterior, transforming its architecture into a masterpiece.

Warm lighting enhances the Tampipi House’s exterior, transforming its architecture into a masterpiece.

The Tampipi House presents a reimagined take on Filipino design crafted using cutting-edge materials. It is also the culmination of the homeowners and Calma’s smooth collaboration fueled by a clear design vision. 

“It’s a great family home,” Calma notes. “I think it will continue to grow with them.” As the spaces evolve to suit the homeowners’ needs, one thing remains: Beyond its beauty, the Tampipi House serves as a model for a plethora of possibilities in sustainable and culturally inspired architecture.

Read more about Tampipi House by ordering your copy of BluPrint Volume 2, available via the sarisari.shopping websiteShopee, and Lazada. E-magazines are available for download via ReadlyPress Reader, and Magzter.

Photography by Ed Simon.

Read more: Carlo Calma and His Pursuit of Architectural Happiness

A work by Lizza May David for the Nena Saguil tribute exhibit. Photo provided by the organizers.

‘Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute’ and the Legacy of Nena Saguil

Lakbay: Voyages Into the Absolute provides a recontextualization of artist Nena Saguil in our modern sociopolitical context. The exhibit, organized by The Art House, includes some never-before-seen works by Nena Saguil, a pioneering figure in Filipino abstract art. Saguil did much of her work abroad in Paris. In this exhibit, she becomes a vehicle to […]

Ezra Viniti Resort: Embracing Nature

Tucked at the end of Pag-Ibig Street near Tagaytay Public Market,  Ezra Viniti Resort gives you a quiet retreat, allowing you to escape from the noise of Metro Manila and even from the bustle of common Tagaytay destinations. But what’s even more remarkable is how Ezra Viniti Resort is designed around nature, with sustainability and […]

A photo during Art Fair Philippines 2022.

Art Fair Philippines 2025 Unveils New Venue and Line-up

Art lovers can expect some new exciting additions to the upcoming 2025 edition of Art Fair Philippines. The organization announced a new venue space at the Ayala Triangle Gardens, moving away from their previous location at The Link Makati. They also announced their planned program of featured artists and events to entice art lovers into […]

Boosting Maritime Services: The Modernized MMS Maritime (Philippines) Inc. Office.

The New Modernized Office Interior Design of MMS Maritime (Philippines) Inc.

A healthy and productive workforce is the cornerstone of any successful organization. And having a positive and conducive work environment is one of the strong influences to establishing it. Upholding this crucial fact, the MMS Maritime (Philippines) Inc. sought to create an office interior design that not only streamline business processes but also improve the […]

Estary House: A Contemporary Showpiece of Tailored Luxury Living.

Estary House: A Contemporary Showpiece of Tailored Luxury Living

In today’s bustling world, the ultimate luxury often lies in the ability to truly enjoy staying in. The Estary House in Tivoli Royale Subdivision, Quezon City is a perfect embodiment of this philosophy. Crafted by IEO Studio Inc., this residence is a sanctuary where function and aesthetics coexist. Every detail is designed to anticipate every […]

Los Tacos: Authentic by Design.

Los Tacos: Authentic by Design

What started as a budding enterprise in Chef Patrick Curitana’s own home has now expanded into a 138-square-meter restaurant with seating for 52 guests. The design of Los Tacos reflects this journey, mirroring the essence of its culinary offerings: authentic, evolving, and deeply personal.  While the restaurant embraces its larger scale, it retains the warmth […]

Download this month's BLUPRINT magazine digital copy from:
Subscribe via [email protected]