ZULUETA ARCHITECTURE

I have a number of clients, smaller businesses or start-ups, that work with very limited budgets in improving their leasable space. Majority of them do not have a clue of what it entails to take on a renovation project. They only look at the dollar figure as the bottom line and get a bolt of shock when underlying costs begin to show up. My advise is really to do proper research. Look at very realistically what the construction costs are going to be and that is including: professional fees and permit fees. Prepare in advance. For smaller projects, it is more often than not difficult to get professionals and contractors to get interested.  Set timelines that can be met and works for your operations. Do not ask for impossible schedules, you do not want people walking out on you.  Be aware of City requirements and timelines. The City is busier this time of the year, processing permits takes longer. Taking consideration of all these factors would make the project more successful. In the end

 Until early this year, I was heavily involved in finishing my mother's project in Manila. It is a 5 storey residential building sitting on a narrow lot. The lot itself is about 72sqm or 775Sf. Built out of steel and concrete, it stands tall showcasing a modern look with its geometric ironwork and dark stonefinishes. Each floor is treated as a separate unit with its own main door and access to a stairway. Each floor has 2 bedrooms and 1 washroom with a front balcony. Of all my projects, there was a Ripley's believe it or not moment when we were undergoing construction . A private plane crashed less than a block away from the project site. The plane flew so close to side of the building, that our workers felt the heat coming off the plane.    Nevertheless, my favorite part of the building is the deck. From the deck, you really get a good view of the neighboorhood. Within a radius of a kilometer, I could identify my grandfather's house, one of the oldest hous

I recently worked on a house plan for my aunt Flora in Manila. The lot area is about 50 square meters or 540 square foot and is elongated. In Philippines, it is fairly common for extended families to live in one roof. Typical approach to increase living space in this case is to go vertical. Currently, the floor plans are showing 3 floors with a finished deck. I initially designed for 4 bedrooms, and one washroom per floor. Given the  limitations on the actual physical space, I truly believe that projects such as this  is an opportunity to be creative. It's a challenging, for sure. As designers, we are made to reflect and revisit our assumptions on treating  space. Then again, people across the world inhabit in such myriad of ways. Square footage is always a factor, but it is not everything. As what the  Swedish furniture retailer Ikea campaigns on-  Any space can be beautiful. Big or small, if I may say so.   Zulueta Architecture is a dynamic professional practice currently base