Healthier Houses: How Architects in the Philippines can design Houses that are Built for Well-being

When it comes to staying healthy, on the top of our minds will always be diet and exercise. As Filipino’s who live very closely to nature, we don’t often realize that environment also has a critical role in overall health. While those of us in suburban or even rural communities get to enjoy the benefits of a “breath of fresh air”, Filipinos living in tighter, more packed urban metropolises will need an architect in the Philippines to help them sort out how to make their homes health.

Physical Health

The idea of an active house is that it makes you want to move. Homes can be made to be more active with stairs and implementations that promote stair use like a great view, or a layout that encourages people cycle through the house as they go about their day, like say putting all the sleeping quarters on the second floor while if there will ba plans for a 3rd floor, it could be the game or crafts room so that getting there feels like the effort is worth it.



Not only that. but houses that are poorly ventilated also increases the risk of sickness. In the Philippines, more and more living spaces are being designed to be airtight mostly “para hindi lumabas ang aircon” but it is in stagnant air that molds, bacteria, and even viruses thrive. While we don’t get to distinguish what contents the air will be brining to our homes, an environment where viruses and bacteria have more competition is better for us; this environment is present when there is good ventilation.

Mental Well-being

In the same way that you can paint your room to a “mood” you like, your whole living quarters affect your mental health. Well-planned transitions through spaces like kitchen to common rooms to garden help improve overall resident experience. In the same what that architects in the Philippines can design such that homes can encourage physical activation and subtle mental rewards like a window with a nice view.



Architects shouldn’t only design homes to let in air but also to let in light, specifically natural light. Sunlight is observed to help in improving depression and anxiety and the right amount of sunlight during the day can help residents sleep soundly during the night. It’s important for babies and children during formative years, because sunlight also helps to synthesize bones through vitamin by and improve eyesight.

Adaptable Security

Lastly, part of being healthy is being secure. Homes should be built with the immediate environment in mind. In the Philippines, this means that home should be built to withstand or better yet take advantage of strong typhoons, heavy rain fall, and flooding. The better architects might also go as far as to design for earthquakes and other geodetic activities like volcanic eruptions and ash fall.



Prevention is as good as if not always better than cure; and architects work on the same principle. Philippine architects design homes that have enough forethought. After all, we spend 95% of our time indoors especially during the ongoing pandemic; well-designed homes should be making us healthier on top of keeping us safe.