There is more to designing a good house than making it look beautiful from the outside. A home must work for the people who live in it. Its rooms, entrances, staircases, and shared spaces should be arranged in a way that makes everyday living comfortable and practical.
This becomes particularly interesting when a homeowner has several requirements to accommodate within a limited property footprint.
The three-storey residence of Denis and Isabel Canedo in Aldea del Sol, Bankal, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, is a good example of how creative architectural planning can produce an unconventional yet functional residential arrangement.
Designed by Architect Jacob Roque, this approximately 270-square-meter residence combines contemporary geometric architecture with Mediterranean-inspired exterior elements. But what makes this particular house interesting is not just its appearance. Its internal arrangement was carefully conceived to accommodate two separate living units within one residential structure.
It is the kind of project that reminds us why understanding the homeowner’s actual requirements should always come before drawing the floor plan.
A Modern Filipino House with Mediterranean Character
The architectural design of the Canedo residence was influenced by two different preferences.
The subdivision had Mediterranean architectural requirements, while the owners preferred something closer to a modern Filipino design.
These two directions might initially appear contradictory. Mediterranean-inspired houses are commonly associated with particular architectural details, roof treatments, decorative elements, and exterior finishes. Modern Filipino architecture, on the other hand, often favors simpler forms, cleaner lines, and more straightforward geometric compositions.
Architect Jacob Roque approached this by using a predominantly cubic modern design and incorporating projecting canopies to introduce the Mediterranean character required by the subdivision.
The result is a residence that maintains a contemporary architectural expression without completely abandoning the subdivision’s preferred design language.
I find this approach particularly interesting because it demonstrates an important lesson in residential architecture: homeowners do not always have to sacrifice their personal preferences to comply with a particular architectural direction.
Sometimes, the solution is simply to understand which architectural elements are essential and find a creative way to combine them.
This is especially relevant when building within established subdivisions in Cebu, where homeowners may have to work within specific architectural guidelines.
Two Homes Within One Building: An Interesting Space Planning Solution
Perhaps the most interesting feature of this residence is its unusual internal arrangement.
Although the building looks like one house from the outside, the ground floor was designed to accommodate two separate residential units.
Why was this necessary?
The subdivision did not permit conventional duplex designs. Instead of constructing two visibly separate houses, the design introduced a division within one building.
Each unit has its own entrance at the ground floor and its own staircase leading to the upper levels.
The first unit is accessed from the left side of the house, while the second unit has its entrance near the garage.
Interestingly, the two units share access to the second-floor terrace and the third-floor portion of the residence.
This arrangement provides a different approach to accommodating two households within one architectural structure.
It also illustrates how subdivision restrictions can sometimes encourage designers to explore alternative solutions rather than simply following conventional residential layouts.
For families, this type of arrangement can be useful when considering independent living spaces for parents, adult children, relatives, or other members of an extended household.
It may also be worth exploring for properties where the owners want to maintain some degree of separation between occupants while still having common family spaces.
Naturally, similar proposals must be evaluated against the applicable subdivision rules, building regulations, fire safety provisions, and occupancy requirements.
Why Circulation and Staircase Planning Matter in Three-Storey Houses
When designing a multilevel residence, one of the most important considerations is how people move through the building.
A staircase is not simply a connection between floors. Its location affects the arrangement of rooms, the available floor area, privacy, and even the overall efficiency of the house.
In the Canedo residence, providing two separate ground-floor entrances and staircases was an important part of achieving the intended arrangement.
However, this type of planning also presents challenges.
Staircases occupy valuable floor space. If they are poorly positioned, they can create awkward corridors, reduce usable room areas, or make certain portions of the house difficult to access.
The designer must therefore consider the entire building as one coordinated arrangement rather than treating each floor as an independent design exercise.
The ground floor, second floor, and third floor should work together.
This is one reason why designing a three-storey house requires more than simply stacking several conventional floor plans on top of one another.
Structural considerations, staircase dimensions, natural lighting, ventilation, plumbing locations, and emergency access must all be considered from the beginning.
Making a Relatively Modest Floor Area Work Harder
With approximately 270 square meters distributed across three levels, the Canedo residence demonstrates another important principle: a house does not necessarily have to occupy a very large lot to accommodate several residential requirements.
Building vertically can be a practical solution when property dimensions are limited or when homeowners want to preserve more of their available land for parking and other uses.
However, increasing the number of floors does not automatically make a house more efficient.
The real challenge is ensuring that the available floor area is used properly.
Consider the amount of space consumed by staircases, corridors, bathrooms, storage areas, and access points. These are necessary components of a house, but they must be coordinated so that they do not unnecessarily reduce the usable living spaces.
A good floor plan should answer several questions:
- Can occupants move comfortably between different areas of the house?
- Are private spaces sufficiently separated from common areas?
- Are entrances and circulation paths arranged logically?
- Can natural light and ventilation reach the important living spaces?
- Are plumbing and electrical installations arranged efficiently?
- Can the house accommodate the family’s needs as these change over time?
These questions are just as important as the exterior appearance of the building.
In fact, some of the most successful residential designs are those where the homeowner may not immediately notice the cleverness of the floor plan because everything simply feels natural and convenient.
The Filipino Family and the Importance of Flexible Living Arrangements
One thing that makes residential design in the Philippines particularly interesting is the way many families organize their living arrangements.
Unlike some countries where independent nuclear households are the predominant arrangement, many Filipino families maintain close relationships with parents, adult children, siblings, and other relatives.
It is not unusual for several generations to live within the same property, even when they maintain separate daily routines and household responsibilities.
This creates different requirements for residential architecture.
Some families need separate entrances. Others need additional bedrooms, independent bathrooms, shared kitchens, or common outdoor spaces.
There are also homeowners who want to provide accommodation for relatives without making the entire property feel like a conventional apartment building.
These requirements cannot always be addressed by using standard house plans.
A designer must first understand the family’s lifestyle and then determine how the available space can be arranged to support it.
The Canedo residence is an interesting example of this principle because it demonstrates how separate and shared spaces can coexist within one building.
For anyone planning a house for an extended family, it is worth considering these possibilities before finalizing the architectural design.
Cost-Conscious Construction Begins Before the First Concrete Is Poured
One of the biggest misconceptions about residential construction is that affordability is mainly determined by the price of construction materials.
Materials are certainly important, but the design itself can have a considerable influence on the final construction cost.
A complicated floor plan, unnecessary structural variations, excessive circulation areas, and poorly coordinated plumbing installations can all contribute to additional expenses.
This is why I believe that practical architectural planning is one of the most important investments a homeowner can make before construction begins.
A few considerations can make a meaningful difference:
1. Design around actual requirements.
Avoid adding rooms and architectural features simply because they look attractive in photographs. Every space should have a purpose.
2. Coordinate the architectural and structural designs.
The structural system should complement the intended room arrangement. Late changes to structural elements can become expensive.
3. Organize plumbing installations intelligently.
Where practical, coordinating bathrooms and plumbing locations between floors can help simplify pipe routing and maintenance.
4. Choose materials according to their intended use.
Expensive materials are not automatically better for every application. Durability, availability, maintenance, and installation requirements should all be considered.
5. Finalize important design decisions before construction.
Frequent changes during construction can result in additional labor, material wastage, delays, and unnecessary expenses.
These are not complicated ideas, but they are often overlooked when homeowners become too focused on the appearance of the finished house.
A beautiful house is certainly desirable. But a beautiful house that has been properly planned and constructed within a sensible budget is an even better achievement.
Why Good Builders Should Understand Design, Not Just Construction
Having grown up around the construction industry, I have always believed that there is an important relationship between the person who designs a house and the people who actually build it.
My father, Pompie, and my uncle, Caloy, spent much of their working lives building traditional Filipino provincial houses around Cebu and Negros during the 1970s and 1980s.
Their work was very different from many of the architectural projects we see today.
They dealt with practical considerations such as available lumber, local carpentry skills, roof construction, natural ventilation, and the everyday requirements of Filipino families.
Those experiences helped shape my appreciation for construction as something more than simply following drawings and assembling materials.
A good builder should understand why a particular detail is included in a design. Likewise, a designer should understand the practical implications of the details being specified.
The Canedo residence illustrates why this relationship matters.
Its unusual two-unit arrangement, separate access points, and combination of architectural styles required careful coordination between the design concept and the actual construction requirements.
For homeowners, this is an important consideration when selecting the people who will handle their projects.
The objective should not simply be to find someone who can produce attractive architectural drawings or someone who can offer the lowest construction quotation.
It should be to work with people who understand how the design, budget, materials, workmanship, and intended use of the building must come together.
Designing Homes That Make Sense for Filipino Living
The three-storey Modern Mediterranean residence in Aldea del Sol is an interesting example of how a relatively modest residential floor area can accommodate different living arrangements through creative planning.
Its architectural design also demonstrates that modern Filipino preferences can be incorporated into a subdivision’s preferred architectural character without completely abandoning either direction.
But perhaps the most important lesson is that every property and every family has different requirements.
Some homeowners need a simple bungalow. Others need a two-storey family home, a multigenerational residence, an apartment building, or a larger property that can accommodate several households.
There is no single architectural formula that will work for everyone.
The best starting point is to understand the property, determine the actual requirements, establish a realistic construction budget, and develop a design that brings these considerations together.
At CVCena.com, I believe that good residential architecture should be understood not only through its appearance but also through its practicality, construction requirements, and relevance to the way Filipinos actually live.
Modern building technology and contemporary architectural styles are important, but some of the most valuable lessons still come from understanding how previous generations built their homes using practical design principles and available resources.
Ultimately, a successful house is not measured only by how impressive it looks when completed.
It is measured by how well it serves the family, how efficiently it uses the available space, how sensibly it was constructed, and how comfortable it remains through the years.
Planning Your Own House or Building Project in Cebu?
Whether you are considering a modest family home, a multilevel residence, a multigenerational house, an apartment building, or a commercial development, the planning process deserves careful attention.
At CVCena.com, we share practical insights from residential design, construction management, building technology, and actual construction projects to help property owners make better-informed decisions.
Our interest is not simply in presenting beautiful buildings. It is in understanding what makes them work, how they can be constructed sensibly, and how homeowners can obtain better value from their investment.
If you are planning to build or renovate a property in Cebu, Mactan, Bohol, Negros, or elsewhere in the Visayas, you are welcome to explore our design, construction, and project management services.
Because building a home should not simply be about constructing a structure. It should be about creating something that makes sense for the people who will live in it.
