Nipa Hut

The Nipa hut, Kamalig, or Bahay Kubo, is a type of stilt house indigenous to the vast majority of lowland Austronesian cultures of the Philippines. It often serves as an icon of Philippine culture or, more specifically, Filipino rural culture. Its architectural principles gave way to many of Filipino traditional houses and buildings that rose after the pre-colonial era. These includes the Spanish era "Bahay Na Bato" which is a noble version of Bahay Kubo with Spanish and some Chinese architectural influence; the American era's "Antillean Houses" which include aspects of Bahay Na Bato influence but has a wider range of influences; and the Marcos era's Coconut Palace, Sto. Niño Shrine and National Arts Center which radically adapted to its designs and architecture.

The Filipino term Bahay Kubo literally means "cube house", describing the shape of the dwelling. The term "Nipa Hut", introduced during the Philippines' American colonial era, refers to the nipa or anahaw thatching material often used for the roofs.

Nipa huts were the native houses of the indigenous people of the Philippines before the Spaniards arrived. They are still used today, especially in rural areas. Different architectural designs are present among the ethnolinguistic groups in the country, although all of them are stilt houses, similar to those found in neighboring countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries of Southeast Asia.

The advent of the Spanish Colonial era introduced the idea of building more permanent communities with the church and government center as a focal points. This new community setup made construction using heavier, more permanent materials desirable. Finding European construction styles impractical in local conditions, Spanish and Filipino builders quickly adapted the characteristics of the Bahay Kubo and applied it to Antillean houses locally known as Bahay na Bato/Bahay Luma.

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