Interview Patrick Kasingsing
Images EUDO (House for a Father)
Hello Edwin! Thank you for making time for Kanto! I want to talk about House for a Father, especially as we approach the day we commemorate loved ones who have gone before us.
When designing House for a Father, how did you envision creating a space that goes beyond a resting place, one that allows the family to gather and share memories?
Edwin Uy, principal architect, EUDO: It began with the story the son shared about his father—how he wanted to honor him in the best way he could. I’ve designed mausoleums before, but this time, the client expressed such deep emotion about his loss. He and his wife wanted nothing more than to thank his father and show the respect they felt he deserved.
This story inspired the vision, a narrative so intimate I can’t share all the details, but it shaped everything. This sense of personal reverence and gratitude drove me to design a space where the family could gather in privacy and where memories could be revisited and honored.
During the presentation, I found myself unexpectedly emotional, even teary-eyed. It surprised me—I hadn’t realized how much I’d absorbed their story and sense of loss. My clients were also visibly moved, expressing that the design was exactly what they had hoped for: a way to truly honor their father. In a way, it was their vision all along; they communicated it to me, and as an architect, I simply translated it into a tangible space.
That’s beautiful, Edwin. There’s no better feedback than hearing that a design fulfills a client’s vision—especially in a project as emotionally charged as this, where it answers a need beyond the physical. Speaking of needs, did the family have any specific requests or traditions they wanted the design to reflect and honor? How did these elements influence the final structure?
Edwin Uy: The specific requests are a little hard to recall, but I remember that one was about positioning their father’s remains in a particular place. Beyond that, they asked for a small living area, a dining space, a working kitchen, and a bathroom, as they wanted to spend weekends here. So, the idea of “home” naturally took shape.
In that sense, the interiors became more than functional—they had to feel warm, like a familiar residence. Nothing grand or overstated. The palette and choice of materials set the tone, grounding the design and keeping it close to home.
The forms and materials—such as the receding cubic structure, wooden louvers, steel, and concrete—are symbolic and functional. How did you use these elements to create emotional resonance and balance between the structure’s practicality, its deeper meaning for the family, and your design vision?
Edwin Uy: Each material has its personality and imperfections—qualities representing human experience. I embraced these aspects of the materials, letting them age naturally as we do. Together, they create a layered symbolism in the space, bringing life and warmth to the structure and honoring the family’s memories.
Steel
The cubic form was inspired by an object I once saw near a lake in St. Moritz, Switzerland (photo below). I remember a child walking through it and another crawling out, each discovering the different views and experiences the structure offered. It reminded me of a portal, offering glimpses of various perspectives and dimensions.
I wanted to create a similar portal, a transition that gradually takes the family closer to their father’s resting place, so they move through the space as if moving through memories, time, and reflection.
Steel, often bent for added strength, has a natural resilience, which felt suitable for the structure’s symbolic role here. The steel cube compresses at its midpoint before rising again, embodying the progression through time and memory. This design choice allows the entire cube, made from bent steel sheets on all sides, to appear suspended on four steel posts. These posts serve a dual purpose, doubling as roof drains and creating the illusion of a floating structure. The effect is grounding yet uplifting, held together by subtle supports from the main hall and entry railings.
“Each material has its personality and imperfections—qualities representing human experience. I embraced these aspects of the materials, letting them age naturally as we do.”
Wood
Wood became essential to grounding the structure into the earth, adding warmth and a sense of familiarity. It evokes an earthy quality for both interiors and exteriors, making it feel like a shared, intimate space with their father.
Since the property faces west, the interior spaces needed sun protection while allowing natural light. Louvers came to mind, but their arrangement required more thought. I wanted them to have an understated meaning beyond function.
The middle section of the louvered facade curves at two angles, subtly marking where their father’s resting place lies within the structure. This choice speaks to the father’s legacy and dedication in life. This design detail is an extension of his character, crafted with high precision and craftsmanship, honoring his work ethic and legacy.
We arranged the western louvers in a way that spells out “SIA,” the family’s surname, in a discrete tribute. It’s a nod to their heritage, meant to evoke the father’s memory in a quiet, dignified way. When the client noticed this detail, he was so moved that he suggested replicating it on the eastern side, initially meant to be covered with vegetation. Instead of a replica, we used similar forms to spell out “SIA” in an even subtler way, allowing for more natural light.
Concrete
Concrete was chosen for areas requiring solidity and privacy, like the bathroom and storage. Its weight anchors the structure’s spiritual experience to the earth. To add texture, we used an off-form finish with coconut lumber, a softer wood that leaves natural, organic curves in the concrete. This touch adds an organic quality to the design, revealing the material’s purity and grounding it further in the natural landscape.
It’s intriguing how deftly you infused the project’s raw materiality and expressive form with a subtle emotional depth. Let’s now look into the process of bringing it to life. What were the key challenges during construction, particularly with the complex geometry and material interplay? Were there any technical innovations—perhaps in construction methods or material treatments—that were essential to realizing the design? And did House for a Father allow you to experiment with a design approach or idea you’ve long wanted to explore?
Edwin Uy: That’s a great question! We certainly encountered our share of challenges. When designing something experimental and deeply personal, every detail demands attention. I was fortunate to work with the right contractors—one specifically for the wood and another for the steel, among other elements.
The main innovation was the approach to the woodwork, especially in places where it bends inward and sideways. Though it may appear simple, each cut and deduction in the wooden louvers was precisely calculated. Since I still rely on manual methods rather than BIM software, we detailed each woodcut in traditional drawings. Bending the wood at two angles proved tricky, and we had to redo it entirely. What you see now is actually the second iteration. Our initial attempt failed because the wood supplier is based in Manila, making coordination difficult. But I knew I could only trust Komodo, our chosen company, with the intricate construction of the louvers. Ultimately, the local contractor made a physical mock-up, which was sent to Manila as a reference. With steady coordination between both teams, we brought the design to life.
These technical solutions and design choices were new to me and not something I had planned or imagined pursuing. The project’s narrative drew me toward these unique methods and executions.
Let’s close with this question. How does this project reflect your personal beliefs about the interplay of architecture, memory, and the act of honoring those who have passed?
Honoring a father and creating a home for him in the afterlife is a profound task that goes beyond a typical house’s conventions. A house usually represents both the family and the architect’s design vision, but the approach changes entirely in a project like this. This space had to embody the story of a son’s dedication to his father, capturing memory and honor in every detail. I, as an architect, need to both appear and disappear to become the translator of such a vision. •
EUDO’s House for a Father is among four Filipino recipients of the Golden Pin Design Mark, and the sole Philippine entrant in the running for the Best Design Award at the 2024 Golden Pin Design Award. Kanto will be covering the awards ceremony live in Taipei come December 2024.
