Pandemic House

PANDEMIC HOUSE Situated along a creek in a quiet suburb, the Pandemic House sits on a 195-sqm property with an enclosed floor area of 275 sqm. It is the dream home of a couple in their mid-forties with three boys and their 89-year-old grandmother. The decision to build this second house was to cut the stressful one-hour commute from home to work to less than 10 minutes. The brief was to maximize the floor area and provide spaces for the family to relax and bond. Efficiency, security, and privacy were top concerns. The husband and a foreman friend took charge of construction and collaborated closely with the architect. Then, the pandemic hit. The family was naturally concerned about their safety but as people learned more about the coronavirus, they were assuaged that the house, designed for the tropics, would not only save on artificial power costs but also harness nature’s healing resources to promote a healthy living environment. Ground Floor A ‘delivery pod’ at the entrance gate became an essential feature of the home, where every delivery is screened and disinfected. The double-height entry creates a grand moment despite the home’s compact size. The foyer is a place to shed articles into a bin before going into the toilet and bath to shower and change clothes or wash hands. Generous natural ventilation and light bathe the interiors. For now, the den serves as Grandma’s room, which opens to healing gardens. The room is ideal for quarantining. A dumbwaiter transports food or supplies to and from the second floor, but Grandma is not only strong enough to have dinner with the family upstairs, she also ventures up to the roof deck. Second Floor The open plan Living/Dining/Kitchen area maximizes the compact floor plate and benefits from direct vertical connection to the service areas below. The 30-sqm living area can be enclosed with sliding glass doors to afford privacy while allowing the illusion of a bigger space. Slats covering the balcony preserve privacy while letting light and breezes in. Third Floor Bedrooms are up here. The family/entertainment area opens up to the fitness area to allow generous flexible use. Bathroom specs have lifetime 99.9% bacteria-free warranty. Roof Deck A multipurpose roof deck is their happy place and allows family members various activities under the sun and breeze. Grandma’s favorite activity is sorting and hanging the laundry. After completing her task, she sits and gazes out at the field of water lilies. “It is the highlight of her day!” says her daughter. At night, the family caps their dinner chilling under the stars. During Manila’s many lockdowns, the family says they felt safe and far from sickness and contamination. They also feel assured that in the event one of them gets sick, their home is equipped to make homecare as convenient as possible. The importance of human interaction is celebrated in this house. Quarantined or not, visual connectivity is guaranteed.