BALANGAY RISE: Weaving Vertical Barangay - An Architectural Framework for Vernacular Heritage in Cebu City's Skyline

Project idea

Balangay Rise envisions a high-rise development in Cebu City that transcends its function as a hotel and mixed-use tower to become a living cultural landmark. Drawing from the ancestral "balangay"—the boat that carried communities across seas and gave root to today’s barangay—the tower symbolizes Cebu’s enduring spirit
of "bayanihan" (communal unity), where people unite in compassion, resilience, and shared identity.

Project description

Balangay Rise is designed as a “Vertical Barangay”—a stacked and interconnected community. The underground floors house parking and electrical utilities while ground and podium levels serve as public and cultural hubs with artisan markets, food courts, galleries, and performance spaces. Mid-levels integrate offices and workspaces, and the upper tower clusters provide residential units connected by sky parks and pocket gardens. At the top, a rooftop restaurant and sky deck crown the building as a cultural and tourism landmark in Cebu's skyline.

Technical information

The tower reinterprets the sails of the balangay as vertical architectural gestures that frame the skyline, capturing the dynamism of Cebuano life. Its facade weaves together the tradition of "hinablon", the handwoven textiles of Cebu, where it becomes both metaphor and method. These interlacing of threads symbolizes the integration of diverse spaces and communities within the tower.

This woven motif is further emphasized through the integration of rope-inspired architectural details, paying homage to Cebu’s renowned rope-making industry, transforming a utilitarian material into a celebrated cultural expression. Using recycled rope as a building facade is a sustainable design solution that promotes cross ventilation strategies, enhances indoor air-quality, and promotes temperature regulation. It gives new life to discarded marine ropes, keeping waste out of oceans and landfills, while supporting local weaving communities through meaningful, eco-friendly work.

Documentation

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