Balay Negrense!
The house is of the type called Bahay na Bato, literally “house of stone”, however, reflecting American colonial influences, the lower storey is not constructed with stone but of concrete.
The foundation posts are made out of trunks of the balayong tree, a local hardwood and the floorboards are of the same material. The house’s upper storey is constructed of wood topped with a roof of galvanized iron instead of tile.
The house also has a four-metre high ceiling and large windows with ventanillas, smaller windows beneath the large windows with sliding panels that can be opened to admit the wind.
The lower storey itself is elevated from ground level by a metre-high crawlspace, allowing the wooden foundations to be aired, preventing dampness from rotting the wood.
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