Colonial influence has forever shaped Philippine structures: urban development, infrastructure, and public works not only changed society, they also massively informed the country’s architectural style. Yet one indigenous structure remains to be an enduring national icon for the Philippines, a symbol of the Filipino peoples’ ingenuity and strong sense of community.
The bahay kubo is a simple structure raised to allow for better air circulation, and to create a buffer for flood and pests. Its walls are made of kawayan, held together by strong tree fibers turned into rope, while the thatched roofs are traditionally made of nipa. Besides a living area, or silid, the bahay kubo is distinguished by its silong — the raised area under this stilted house, which is sometimes used for storage or for raising farm animals.
In building their second Manila outpost, the simplicity of the bahay kubo is where skincare brand Aesop drew inspiration from. The new shop is located at Power Plant Mall in Makati, and pays homage to this cultural figure. The coziness and warmth of the bahay kubo come together in the Aesop shop through stilt footings and textured ceilings. It balances off against the starkness of Aesop’s amber bottles and muted packaging; the space demonstrates how simplicity from two very different disciplines can come together in one harmonious space.
Aesop Chief Customer Officer Suzanne Santos connects it to how the brand can create a habitat in every city it sets up shop in. “We only open in environments where we can make a home, and the Philippines is certainly one of those,” Santos said in an email interview.
CNN Philippines Life spoke to Santos to talk about how the brand found an aesthetic connection with the iconic Philippine structure. We also asked Santos which Aesop products can adapt to ever-changing weather in the same way the bahay kubo has endured, rain or shine.
Hi, Suzanne. I understand that the shop is inspired by the architectural features of the bahay kubo. How did it become the inspiration for Aesop’s second Manila store?
Architecturally, our design method is to connect to the context of the locale, weaving ourselves into its fabric in order to hopefully create something of merit without disrupting its integrity. We look at the area to discover its character and unearth its history, then work to communicate these values within our design.
While the bahay kubo remains a traditional dwelling, it has survived and evolved to this day. When designing Aesop Rockwell, we were inspired by the high-volume organic roofs, horizontal woven cladding and repetitious stilt footings — all pragmatic but beautiful in their own way. The store pays homage to this vernacular, turning external characteristics into elements of the space’s internal anatomy.
There were many ways that the store incorporated architectural features of the bahay kubo, starting with the warm colors. What direction did you have in mind in showing where the native elements end and the Aesop brand begins?
For us, the first step with designing a new store is to take stock of the neighborhood, and dedicate ourselves to learning of its history and character. The store is then designed to blend comfortably into these conditions, whilst staying true to our strong design codes.
In Aesop Rockwell’s respectful reimagining of the bahay kubo, tonal and textural odes to the Philippines are intertwined through the natural pigmentation of honed, locally sourced marble, and glossy finishes of orange and gold. Vertical brush strokes of natural paints dress the walls and ceilings, subtly evoking the nipa palm leaves which often form the thatched roofs of the bahay kubo.
Meanwhile, the ceiling is differentiated into high and low zones, forming a hierarchy of experiences — intimate moments at sofa and sink happen at a compact, homely scale, while an expansive display of amber Aesop bottles is unveiled under evocatively pitched sections. The rising lines of the stilt-like struts draw the eye to the voluminous space above and amplify the strong rectilinearity of the space. All of this houses a stone-clad central sink, with two taps and an angular runway for extensive consultation, and another basin at the store’s entrance.
Rather than consider where the bahay kubo ends and Aesop begins, we hope that this space will be a celebration of both; a testament to our shared appreciation for well-considered design.
I’ve been told that you’ve previously visited the Philippines. Were there any moments in your visit that might have informed how you conceptualized the Aesop brand’s presence here?
In all honesty, what conceptualized our presence here was how sophisticated the Filipino people are; how worldly they are. Therefore we had to ask ourselves why we were not in the Philippines sooner — there was and there is an audience for Aesop there. We only open in environments where we can make a home, and the Philippines is certainly one of those.
For Aesop’s second store, what were you able to add and incorporate into the experience based on the performance and customer behavior from Aesop Greenbelt?
What Greenbelt confirmed for us was that there was a home and an appetite for Aesop in the Philippines — there was real relevance to the market. We also learned that our customers at Greenbelt were traveling in from a wide variety of destinations, and after extensive research we decided that Rockwell would be the ideal geographical setting for our next store in the Philippines.
Above all, Greenbelt confirmed that Aesop’s approach to retail really resonated with our Filipino customers — the idea that you can have a consultation in a relaxed, sensorial setting, and be in conversation with someone who can guide you and explore the best formulations for your skin with you.
The bahay kubo was designed to acclimatize to changing weather — it keeps inhabitants cool in the summer and well protected during the rainy/monsoon season. Which Aesop products would you say work best for these types of weather conditions?
What I would universally advise anyone living in a climate like the Philippines is recognize the contrasts that your skin faces, and find products that help to support the skin in both environments. By this I mean the air conditioned spaces indoors, and, by contrast, the warmth and humidity outdoors.
I would highly recommend layering Lucent Facial Concentrate under a hydrator — it is wonderfully lightweight but delivers an exceptional boost of Vitamin C to the skin. This would be a very sophisticated way of tending to the effects of air conditioning on the skin, as the double layer of moisture ensures your skin stays hydrated but also is lightweight enough so as to not feel sticky or cloying in the humidity outside.
I would also recommend our “In Two Minds” collection — this was a small skin care range we formulated specifically for people living in this humid kind of environment. And for even further support, Primrose Facial Cleaning Masque is an absolute treasure when it comes to supporting the skin in such conditions. You can have it on your skin for 15 minutes while doing other things — for example reading a book or looking at social media — and it will provide exemplary relief to the skin.
The store is located at R1 Level, Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center, Makati.