For as long as he could remember, Edgardo "Gbong" Suñiga, Jr. had always dreamed of having a Batcave just like Batman. "Talagang I love cars and it's always been my dream na magkaroon ako ng parang Batcave-style na bahay," he tells Summit Media's OG team.
With the completion of his treehouse which was strategically designed for his cave-like parking area, Gbong has finally made that dream come true. "Meron tayong concealed car park here which I call na Batcave," he shares. "It is trimmed with pin lights and strip lights to add beauty doon sa mismong sasakyang naka-park."
Apart from the Batcave-style carport, Gbong wanted to incorporate two more architectural concepts: a Bali-inspired kubo and a hanging garden design. Growing up in a traditional bahay kubo, he wanted to capture its essence in a contemporary way. As a civil engineer, Gbong also took it as a challenge to build the house around an existing acacia tree, ensuring none of its roots would be harmed during the construction.
Gbong's treehouse may only measure 25 square meters, but it's big on the comforts of modern living. It has a studio bedroom with air-conditioning, a loft bed, an attic, as well as an outdoor dining area.
"The footprint of the house is only 20 square meters," he notes. "Maliit lang talaga siya; very, very compact. Meron din siyang sariling bathroom with shower. Meron din siyang kitchenette. So kumpleto na.
Weaving around the tree house is the terrace, outdoor dining area, and a hammock bed, which adds to the airiness and coziness of the tiny home. As a single dad to an active toddler, the al fresco area also serves as a great place for them to play and bond.
"Gusto ko talaga yung anak ko mapalapit sa 'kin," Gbong notes. "He loves playing around, he loves running around, so the memorable part is being with him doon sa hammock bed. 'Yan kasi yung favorite part niya, e."
For Gbong, the best part about the tree house is that it only cost him P250,000. He also believes that proper planning is key.
"Hindi ako masyadong gumastos dahil it's made of materials na ready-made, old materials sa aming bodega, tapos at the same time, napagsama-sama ko yung mga konsepto ng mga bahay na gusto ko. The tiles came from five different houses. It's just a matter of making them communicate with each other to look nice."
"For me, I believe it's not the cost that makes a house nice," he adds. "It's the proper planning. You have to plan ahead, make sure mo lang those materials that you already have, and make them look good."
Get a closer look at the treehouse in the OG video below:
Preview is now on Quento! Click here to download the app for iOS and Android and enjoy more articles and videos from Preview and your favorite websites!
Hey, Preview readers! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Tiktok, and Twitter to stay up to speed on all things trendy and creative. We’ll curate the most stylish feed for you!
