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This Ancestral Home Was Restored To Its 1920s Glory In A Brand New Location

Called Casa Floria, the home bagged Architect Gerard Lico top honors in the adaptive reuse category at the A-Z International Architecture and Design Awards ’22 

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Mariel Abanes

<div><br/></div><p>Moving homes is common for many, but not when it’s an actual house that you’re bringing to another location. For this 1920s ancestral home, however, it found the need for a brand new space, so to speak—all while retaining its early 20th century American colonial era <em>bahay na bato at kahoy</em> structure as well as the memories of its homeowners.</p><div><br/></div><p><a href="https://www.united-architects.org/news/manila-city-government-honors-arch-gerard-rey-a-lico-394#:~:text=Gerard%20Lico%20is%20a%20multi,documentaries%20on%20Philippine%20built%20environments." target="_blank">Architect Gerard Lico</a>, who spearheaded this project, presented how hybrid conservation efforts can possibly make this feat possible. Thus, Casa Floria was reborn a few blocks away from its original foundation. The project also bagged top honors at the <a href="https://uni.xyz/competitions/residential-21/info/about" target="_blank">A-Z International Architecture and Design Awards ‘22 by UNI</a> for the Adaptive Reuse category, proof that modern technology can meet halfway with the past to honor its almost century-long lifespan and counting.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/ada840aa-4bfc-445c-bac1-affb2e644ebd_casa floria before and after.gif" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">GIF animation showing the old and the new Casa Floria<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> GIF Photos Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>The San Juan property had already undergone a lot of changes throughout the years—the second floor balcony was turned into an additional room, storage spaces were added in available areas, and parts of the living and dining areas were turned into rooms for the elderly residents, to name a few. The home also showed signs of age, thus the goal of transferring the edifice to its new lot while making the house weatherproof and incorporating additional spaces to meet the current needs of the residents.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/b7287e90-bac8-409b-85e3-8c471a780134_casa floria exteriors 2.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Casa Floria exteriors in its new San Juan location<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><strong>Related Story: </strong><a href="/living/makeovers/monino-duque-malacanang-palace-lighting-transforma/33576" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Monino Duque Shares How Proper Lighting Has Changed The Look Of Malacañang</a></div><div><br/></div><p>“As an active private residence, it was necessary to strike a balance between the tastes, needs, and lifestyle of the present occupants while retaining the cultural significance of the house,” Arch. Lico tells <strong>Metro.Style.</strong> “The conservation approach aims to preserve the intangible aspect—the house as a home, and a social/community gathering space—and translate this into tangible architecture through reconstruction and reassembly in the new site. The re-use of components served as a tangible and material link to the past and preserved the memory of the original residence.”</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/0779ab1b-68b6-4a5a-89c5-05da6badcaa5_casa floria_anteroom.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Casa Floria&#x27;s anteroom post-relocation and restoration.<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>He adds, “As a design technique, the delicate balancing act between conservation and addressing contemporary needs should be a major consideration when undertaking a project like this. We should learn to embrace the notion of perpetual renewal as an integral part of conservation. In terms of use, conserving structures should be able to adapt a building to its contemporary context, so that it can be in constant use. Ultimately, the main goal of conservation is keeping a building alive—a heritage structure remains alive if people keep using it.”</p><div><br/></div><p>Going around the house, much of the original wood elements, doors and windows, tiles, and metal grillwork were reused. The completed structure featured its original social spaces in its 1924 configuration as well as the principal façade and driveway façade were conserved. Before the lady of the house passed away, it was said that she was able to witness the home return to its first look—a loving memory that she’s able to cherish.</p><div><br/></div><div class="article-content" itemProp="articleBody"><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/925da68c-bef4-4467-a762-1c2020877d53_1_casa floria landscape.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/c0abeca8-69e6-4474-9123-6647725948bd_20180627_145613.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/fdc2f2a6-bfed-4b30-9987-eb29c8173169_20180627_145206.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/3b7f4c37-07c9-4fed-8cb8-b6b0c0e39e14_casa floria dismantling 1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/fa204816-878f-455d-8832-05d9b69080f7_casa floria dismantling 2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/9f523874-2b9b-4e9e-aba5-25fa8297d192_casa floria exteriors 1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/5680a7a0-b554-4377-a047-e84a691d66f7_casa floria_anteroom.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/d507e364-bec7-4bd5-927a-1918f28ea7d9_casa floria_dining area.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/46bb200d-4b31-40bc-8501-1def44ab267c_casa floria_gallery.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/7e19eb40-a361-4d94-b37d-3fa56517980d_casa floria_foyer.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/1569a282-af42-4eda-8b6c-2932551e7320_casa floria_kitchen 1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/f813e95b-d0fb-404f-9014-9a4adb6cd86a_casa floria_listening room.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/d98ba544-d3df-4c8f-9443-10b6931cbf17_casa floria_living area.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/46ad4e0b-a71f-41c5-98ef-acb72a0353ab_casa floria_master bedroom 2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/3e3ab571-f92f-44a1-afef-a5bd0da45c48_casa floria_master bedroom.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/34c93b02-9030-4b70-9d06-e3731d79b2ac_casa floria_porch.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/10b25448-8356-450b-9e50-4d3e87736392_casa floria_powder room.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/7fe3817b-92bc-4ead-8113-f89a33fc7c2e_casa floria_second floor porch 1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/e4e0d249-5c82-4a2f-a3ac-d1bd69121a99_casa floria_second floor porch 2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/f42e5b58-f433-4d31-8a6d-87247d72ab4f_casa floria_stairwell 1.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/cf7725d4-31c6-4854-839f-5ad1a97d21d5_casa floria_stairwell 2.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Archival photo of Casa Floria<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Archival Photo of Casa Floria<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Restoration Process of Casa Floria<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Restoration Process of Casa Floria<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Restored and Relocated Casa Floria<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Anteroom<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Dining Room<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Gallery<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Foyer<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Kitchen<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Listening Room<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Living Room<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Master Bedroom<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Master Bedroom<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Second Floor Porch<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Powder Room<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Second Floor Porch<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Second Floor Porch<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria, Stairwell<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>Casa Floria Stairwell<cite>Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico</cite></p></div></div></div></div><div><strong>Related Story: </strong><a href="/living/makeovers/the-library-cafe-at-the-ramon-magsaysay-library/33500" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">This Café With A Speakeasy Vibe Is Tucked Inside One Of Manila’s Most Iconic Buildings</a></div><div><br/></div><p>Meanwhile, what once was a two-storey building birthed a couple of new floors—a basement and a third floor. “The third floor was set back far from the façade to minimize its visual impact from the garden and street,” the designer explains. “The basement, meanwhile, was concealed and practically invisible from the exterior. It was also necessary to elongate the structure by about one bay—to minimize the visual impact of this, the rear façade was retained, but pushed back. A new extension was inserted between the front and rear facades, effectively “stretching” the house from the middle.”</p><div><br/></div><p>Newly-constructed bedrooms are also additions to the home, attached with contemporary toilets and bathrooms. The architect also incorporated new mechanical cooling systems, security systems, a fully-equipped main and auxiliary kitchen, an auditorium, and a gallery space to the dwelling. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/1a697582-68be-4a31-9365-18d9e03405d4_casa floria_master bedroom.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Casa Floria Master Bedroom<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Further amping up its modernity merged with the past, a new but separate structure was built adjacent to the main house to house the carport, laundry area, gym, and lanai. “This structure was built of reinforced concrete and steel structural members, but generally conforms to the aesthetics of the main house as an auxiliary structure. The use of this side of the house as a carport conforms to evidence presented in archival photographs, showing the carport on the right side of the house,” Architect Lico shares.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/1bd64321-dd02-476f-9929-360bc1d83ca1_20180627_145206.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Archival photo of Casa Floria showing carport located at the side of the home.<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Courtesy of Architect Gerard Lico  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Ultimately, Casa Floria shows us that heritage buildings such as this can still thrive in the new era, without losing its years of experience and character. “It shows that these buildings are not mere relics of the past for us to look at and consume from an antiquarian perspective, but can be living, breathing places that grow with us,” Architect Lico ends.</p><div><strong>Related Story: </strong><a href="/living/makeovers/the-henry-hotel-suites-qc-mira-nila/33161" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Henry Suites MiraNila: Past Forward</a></div>