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Tatler Asia
22-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Tatler Asia
Pacific notions: Inside a family's island getaway in Mindanao, Philippines
Above The pool of Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao Pretty soon Van Dierendonck and Le Neindre were hooked and travelled to different parts of Mindanao to source the material.'We did it from scratch,' Le Neindre recalls. 'We learnt how to harvest, to source bamboo, to find the farms that would sell us their bamboo, and to test it.' Van Dierendonck took the lead in the technical aspects, spearheading the construction of Bricco, their own bamboo treatment facility. Gaddi then designed a training course for the construction crew, enabling them to learn specific skills such as bamboo cutting and joinery work. All in all, five different kinds of bamboo were used to build the house. As soon as they acquired the land, Van Dierendonck and Le Neindre turned to their friend, Carol Karthe of Ladrilyo, to help conceptualise their home's layout. Serving as design consultant and interior curator, Karthe played a key role in shaping the look and feel of Aman Sinaya. Often seen as a lifestyle designer, Karthe is known for her holistic approach to addressing her clients' needs and desires. Above Exquisite wooden doors on display at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao Knowing Le Neindre's background as a chef and restaurateur, Karthe designed the flow of the open kitchen and conversation pit to create a convivial and relaxed atmosphere that reflects the informal style of entertaining that the couple prefer. Her initial design was inspired by traditional architectural elements, particularly the bahay kubo, or nipa hut. Aman Sinaya follows this concept, featuring an elevated structure where the main living area is raised above ground. 'The feeling of being elevated gives you a grander view than being on the ground…it feels like you are walking between the trees,' Karthe explains. Building upon Karthe's initial drawings, architect and Bamboo Bootcamp professor Jed de Guzman was brought on to develop the structural design. In line with traditional bamboo construction techniques, Aman Sinaya features a cement foundation and supporting columns on the ground floor, preventing water damage while ensuring structural stability. Photo 1 of 3 The kitchen of Aman Sinaya on Mati Island, Mindanao Photo 2 of 3 The dining area at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao with a customised dining table by Grosswood surrounded by A Garcia Chairs Photo 3 of 3 A peek into the inviting shores of Mati, Davao Oriental in Mindanao From the first floor upward, bamboo serves as the primary building material, forming the core framework and supporting the expansive roof. The couple estimate that building with bamboo cut their cement use by 60 per cent compared with traditional construction methods. The house truly shines by showcasing various applications of bamboo design—from the pinboo technique, where thin bamboo slats are compressed to form the staircase steps, to the 'skeleton' bamboo banisters crafted by Kawayan Collective of Negros Oriental. In the master bath, thin Japanese bamboo poles are placed as a ceiling accent. The pièce de résistance of the house is no doubt the open-plan kitchen, living and dining space on the second floor. The main priority of Van Dierendonck, an unusually tall man for the Philippines, was to have unrestricted movement in his own home. 'Right from the beginning, Alec wanted an exaggerated height. For him, it's the ultimate luxury,' Le Neindre explains. The result is a double-height entertainment and dining area with sweeping views of the ocean and treetops below, as well as the bamboo support beams and roof above. Large picture windows are framed with custom-made abaca Roman shades by Soumak. A Balinese door anchors the space with the drama it deserves. The great room certainly takes advantage of its spectacular setting. In case you missed it: Earth, wind and iron: how Yola Johnson's unique design philosophy comes to life in her Manila home Above Orion and Savanna playing in the driftwood outdoor shower at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao Above Cutlery from Bali and stoneware by Stoneware Pottery in Cagayan at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao As Le Neindre emphasises, 'we wanted it to be a free-flowing house. We want to be able to see up and down and let nature come in'. To achieve this, Karthe designed a lattice border screen between the windows, following a solihiya pattern that casts playful shadows on the Vigan terracotta tiles, while allowing the sea breeze to filter through. Karthe and Le Neindre's close friendship was essential to the success of their collaboration. Karthe's preference for streamlined interiors with moody, natural tones provided a balanced contrast to Le Neindre's colourful, maximalist tendencies. 'Because we are friends, I am not scared to be blunt with Celina and to tell her what I am thinking, and the good thing is, Celina listens,' Karthe explains. Le Neindre acknowledges that she has learnt a lot from Karthe, including her approach to décor—allowing one objet d'art to serve as the focal point while letting other pieces blend into the background. One of Karthe's favourite selections for the house is a pair of oversized, carved Gmelina wood floor lamps from Soumak. Given the scale of the home, it was crucial for her to source pieces that complemented its height. Above The bedroom at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao, where a four-poster bed by Grosswood serves as the focal point of the space Wandering through the house is a tactile experience, inviting guests to touch and feel the different textures, nuances and imperfections that come with designing with natural materials. In the primary bedroom, a delicate leaf-motif screen by Jed Yabut elegantly conceals the wooden Balinese bathtub from view. A sculptural rattan furniture set made by Locsin is an interesting focal point in the sitting area that faces the pool and ocean view. A hand-carved marble sink sourced from Romblon-based Estilo Marmol, takes pride of place in the powder room. It was important for everyone involved that artisans from Mindanao were tapped to create pieces made from indigenous materials for the home. T'nalak throw pillows, woven by the T'boli tribe, were sourced from Tadeco Home. The brand's founder, Maricris Floirendo-Brias, also designed the cream-coloured abaca chandelier in the master bathroom, featuring a coral motif. Greenhouse was commissioned to create the oversized arched door with an intricate parquet design that leads to the powder room. John John Gross of Grosswood took charge of the built-in woodwork, designing custom-sized beds for the master and kids' bedrooms, as well as bunk beds for the surfer's room. Renowned Davao artist Vic Secuya spent time at Aman Sinaya and was inspired to create the twin paintings, Songs of Dawn and Moonlight Serenade, which frame the interior staircase. Khite, a macrame artist and surfer, stayed in the house for a week to weave the beaded curtains that serve as the entrance to the en-suite bathrooms. Above Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao with cabinets in solihiya by Grosswood that flank a hand-carved wooden door Above A lamp by Solano at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao Reflecting on the completed structure, Karthe initially had doubts about the house's imposing scale but now sees it as its greatest strength. Its height mirrors the unusually tall coconut trees of Mati, while the natural tones of its exterior allow it to blend seamlessly into the landscape despite its size. Karthe takes pride in the couple's commitment to their vision of creating a sustainable bamboo house, and that the materials are readily available in the Philippines. 'When I first saw the bamboo poles for the posts upon delivery, honestly, I had never seen bamboo that tall, 15 metres! It wouldn't even fit in the longest truck. The bamboo from Mindanao is so beautiful, so huge and as wide as my neck,' she recalls. She is equally proud of their achievement in constructing a bahay kubo at this scale. 'At the moment, it is the biggest residential bamboo house in the Philippines,' she says. 'I am proud of how daring we were to build this.' Le Neindre hopes that her home inspires others in Mindanao to build sustainably, 'We wanted to highlight how beautiful it is to use native, indigenous, organic materials that belong to the area.' She notes that their construction workers are now converts to bamboo as a building material. 'Our workers are so trusting of their own work and so they are now all building their own bamboo houses,' she says. Above A chandelier by T'nalak Home serves as the main highlight of this light and airy bathroom at Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao Above A bathtub by Dino Magnatta in the bathroom of Aman Sinaya on Mati Island in Davao Oriental, Mindanao The benefits of building with bamboo are most evident on a hot summer's day, when the natural materials help to shield the family from the worst of the heat. 'We appreciate the house because [the bamboo] is cool, on a hot day, everyone wants to be inside the house,' says Le Neindre. The fact that the house survived a 7.5 magnitude earthquake a year ago is another testament to the resilience of bamboo as a building material. Their journey in building Aman Sinaya was by no means easy. The challenges of the pandemic and the steep learning curve of working with bamboo stretched the project to over four years to complete. But Aman Sinaya was well worth the wait. For Le Neindre, every visit reaffirms her vision: 'The house is a showcase to remind myself of how beautiful it is to live in Mindanao.' NOW READ Inside Peninsula House: The transformation of a Penang art deco landmark 7 luxurious swimming pools you'll want to dive into this summer Considered creativity: exploring Pristine Lampard's Dalisay Collection Credits Photography: Scott A Woodward
Boston Globe
26-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
North End historical museum finds location along Freedom Trail after lengthy search
Tom Damigella, the society's president, said bringing a museum to the North End is a core part of the society's mission to preserve the neighborhood's heritage 'in perpetuity.' 'This is an iconic neighborhood,' Damigella said. 'It's got 400 years of history. It's the cradle of liberty. It's got a great immigration story, everybody from the Old World came here. It was a colonial settlement. I mean, the stories are just phenomenal.' Advertisement The location could hardly be better for a historical destination. When it opens on the ground floor of a building at 3 Prince Street, the museum will be directly on the Freedom Trail, which winds from the Paul Revere House just around the corner to Old North Church and Copp's Hill Burying Ground. Residents of the neighborhood 'have been waiting for something like this,' Damigella said. Founded in 2010, the historical society has been looking for a permanent space for years. A recent proposal that would have secured a location on Lovejoy Wharf near TD Garden But that disappointment turned out to be a blessing in disguise, he said. Advertisement 'I'm glad it worked out that way, because this is better than that location was,' he said. 'So bad things happen for good reasons.' The new location, tucked between Hanover Street and North Square on a stretch known to locals as 'Little Prince,' came to the society's attention somewhat serendipitously. When Damigella saw a ground floor Prince Street condo on the market, he knew it would be the perfect place for a museum. He approached local restauranteur Frank DePasquale, who was familiar with the society's struggle to find a location. The owner of Bricco, Trattoria, and nearly a dozen other restaurants in the neighborhood said he offered to buy the property for $500,000, remodel it, and lease it to the historical society essentially for free. The society's board jumped at the prospect, and the purchase closed last month. 'I started them off with a five-year lease, but I hope that they're there for a lifetime,' DePasquale said. 'My whole mission is to make this the greatest inner-city Italian community in the country. And little by little, we're doing that.' The location for the North End Historical Society on Prince Street. The space is under construction and will open next year. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff DePasquale said he would also pay for the renovation and install a new glass facade. The museum exhibits are still being designed, he said. 'Frank's great in construction — he can do things in 10 seconds, it's amazing,' Damigella said. 'His generosity, to take that on, is wonderful. But we still have 400 years of content to make a theme out of, to put into some chronological order so we can tell the stories.' To create the museum displays, Damigella said the society has tapped Trivium Interactive, a Boston-based visual design firm whose past clients include the Museum of Science and the Museum of African American History. Advertisement There are plenty of well-known stories from the neighborhood to focus on, Damigella said, including and Related : Other exhibits will feature the 'These are the stories that we will be telling, and they're very colorful and interesting and surprising to a lot of people,' Damigella said. The North End Museum would be one of the first new attractions along the Freedom Trail Suzanne Segura Taylor, executive director of the Freedom Trail Foundation, said she had not worked with the historical society directly, but welcomed the addition of a new museum along the trail, which is visited by millions of people every year. 'Projects like the society's are commendable as they amplify the history of Boston's neighborhoods and inform and educate both residents and visitors alike,' Taylor said in a statement. Once it opens, the museum will likely be added to the foundation's maps and other materials as an unofficial, 'off-the-trail' attraction, Taylor said. Damigella said the museum would honor not only the neighborhood's modern Italian-American culture, but the waves of Jewish and Irish immigrants that preceded them. As he pointed out, both Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy, mother of John F. Kennedy, and her father, Advertisement 'The different societies, the customs, the traditions — all the things that today are still going on, that [give] this neighborhood the wonderful character it's known for,' Damigella said. 'We're going to do it all.' Camilo Fonseca can be reached at
