Typhoon Can’t Hit it?
Bahay Kubo or nipa hut is said to be an indigenous dwelling in the Philippines which the conventional Philippine history said that it was the dwelling of one of the first races in the Philippines. Thus Bahay Kubo is recognized as the “Pambansang Bahay”(Philippine National dwelling) of the Philippines.
But what is interesting with this bahay kubo is not the house itself neither its origin but the way some Filipinos adulate it, like the recent report that the senior engineering students of the University of the Philippines Diliman branch, proudly announced that they have designed a nipa hut or bahay kubo that could withstand typhoons and earthquake. Yes, you heard it right, a nipa hut that is stronger than your concrete modern house which could easily be toppled down with strong earthquake and typhoons.
Sounds funny, but they proudly said this nipa hut or bahay kubo they have designed have an octagonal design or form that is anchored on a central pole, which I suspect they design it against the wind forces coming sideways; moreover, they also use “kawayan” or bamboo materials for the construction of their version of nipa hut, wherein I also suspect why they use bamboo as the construction material because of the notion that bamboos never get toppled down by strong winds but only sway and follow.
With these ideas and concepts, thus they dubbed their nipa hut or bahay kubo version to be “typhoon-resistant”. But is it, if these ideas of them as well as their nipa hut version were not yet tested and proven by an actual very strong typhoon like Ondoy? It seems, it is too early to said that what they have designed is “typhoon-resistant”, unless it already tested and proven, but it is not yet tested and proven, is not it?
Furthermore, I find their octagonal design suspended with a central pole a little bit funny because as if they have design a “trumpo” that could be spin around the central pole when strong winds of a strong typhoon will blow sideways the nipa hut or bahay kubo, unless the foundation of their nipa hut is attached 1000 meters deep in the ground.
Perhaps, they should already erect an actual now and test and prove that what they have conceived and perceived about it is definitely right, not just another theory only and miniature model.
But what about the earthquake-resistant? They have no say about it, perhaps the report only means “typhoon-resistant”.