Sangay Architects offers bamboo, ‘a poor man’s timber,’ for royalty
From a third world country’s perspective, there is a stigma attached to bamboo being commonly perceived as a “poor man’s timber.” Bamboo, an indigenous material in the Philippines, has long been ingrained in our culture, from being the primary material of vernacular houses to being carved to make household tools, and even as part of folklore stories of how the first inhabitants emerged from a splitting bamboo culm. But as modernization and development becomes inevitable, contemporary materials have been introduced, developed, and used to define the progress of the city—one of the effects of that process is the fast fading utilization of indigenous materials, one of which is bamboo.
The contemporary use of bamboo for construction in the Philippines is limited in temporary structures such as huts because 1.) bamboo and other indigenous materials classify as temporary structures due to the lack of material standardization; 2.) the lack of awareness of professionals on the right process of treatment and material utilization; 3.) the lack of knowledge of local workers on how to do innovative bamboo connections to make it more permanent; and 4.) the lack of an example of an innovative bamboo building in the country, which can inspire others and serve as a proof that bamboo can be a contemporary material. Sangay Architects envisions an abundance in the use of this material in the years to come. The firm has committed to elevating the value of this material through innovation and good design, making this project as an example of a permanent structure using bamboo as the main structural members, keeping in mind the Philippine sensibilities and context in the design.
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The MLR Polo Pavilion is a bamboo structure built to host the royal guests and VVIPs from neighboring countries for the 2019 South East Asian Games Polo event. Luxury is often associated with reflective materials such as glass, gold, and marble. Ironically, this pavilion, intended for the royal guests, uses bamboo poles for structural framing members, bamboo mat for the ceiling, thatch roof, and stucco for the pedestal finish. The sense of grandeur was maintained in scale to create a feeling of awe, and the clean repetitive, and intricate patterns of the bamboo A-frames harmoniously serve as both structural and aesthetic. The curves of the edges of the roof juxtapose the sharp edge of the triangular shape of the building. Subtle warm lights embellish the poles to create warmth and the golden glow, visibly attracting the users in the duration of their stay.
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Project Information
Project Name: MLR Polo Pavilion
Completion Year: 2019
Lot Area: 1000m²+
Gross Built Area: 700m²
Project Location: Calatagan, Batangas City, Philippines
Approximate Project Cost (In local currency/US$, optional): Php 25,000,000
Project Credits
Architecture Firm: Sangay Architects
Firm Address: Unit 1801 OMM Citra Building, San Miguel Avenue, Pasig City
Website: www.sangayarchitects.com
Contact email: 09176821992
Lead Architect: Christian S. Salandanan & Kathleen S. Sapungay
Lead Architect’s email: [email protected]
Design Team: Arvin Diamzon, Kathleen Sapungay, Christian Salandanan, Celine Lansangan
Engineering: P-Delta Design Consultancy
Contractor: Bambusa Construction Corporation
Frequently Asked Questions
Bamboo carries a stigma in the Philippines due to a lack of material standardization, limited professional knowledge of proper treatment, and few examples of permanent bamboo buildings. This confines its contemporary use largely to temporary structures, despite its long history in vernacular houses and Filipino folklore.
The MLR Polo Pavilion uses bamboo poles as primary structural framing members rather than temporary supports, paired with bamboo-mat ceilings, thatch roofing, and stucco pedestal finishes — demonstrating that bamboo can achieve the scale and permanence associated with contemporary construction materials.
The MLR Polo Pavilion was built in Calatagan, Batangas, to host royal guests and VVIPs from neighboring countries during the 2019 South East Asian Games Polo event. It spans a lot area of over 1,000 square meters with a gross built area exceeding 700 square meters.
The MLR Polo Pavilion was designed by Sangay Architects, led by Christian S. Salandanan and Kathleen S. Sapungay, with engineering by P-Delta Design Consultancy and construction by Bambusa Construction Corporation. The project was completed in 2019 at an approximate cost of Php 25,000,000.
In the MLR Polo Pavilion, bamboo A-frames serve a dual role — carrying structural loads while forming repetitive, intricate patterns that define the building’s visual character. Combined with warm embedded lighting, the material achieves a sense of grandeur typically associated with reflective luxury finishes like glass or marble.
