Once a site for culturing pearls, the Pearl Farm Beach Resort on Samal Island, in the Davao Gulf offers a unique seaside getaway.  Much of the resort’s distinctiveness comes from the architecture, which was adapted from the traditional houses on stilts that the seafaring tribes of Mindanao – the Samal and the Badjao – build above the water.

Adapting to the curve of the coastline, the resort plan calls for the least disturbance of the natural setting and the extensive use of indigenous materials so the colors and textures of the structures blend with the island’s greenery.

At the northeast end of the resort is a row of six two-story suites – actually self-contained houses – clustered like a traditional Samal village.  The roofs, formed from bamboo poles cut in overlapping terraces, extend forward in a point, reminiscent of traditional Mindanao houses.  The resort also uses bamboo extensively in the exteriors and interiors, particularly in the veranda, which provides a panoramic view of the ocean and the mainland. 

A large hexagonal gazebo with pagodalike twin roofs serves as the main clubhouse and dining room.  The top roof is inspired by the shape of a salakot, or farmer’s gourd hat; the secondary roof shelters the main dining area.

Along the hillside, more modestly scaled suites follow the same basic Mindanao-inspired design, with bamboo and rattan providing the dominant textures.

Eventually, the Pearl Farm resort area came to include a portion of Malipano Island, on which a second cluster of suites on stilts was built above the water.  These are bamboo shingles, and the wraparound ipil decks. Once a site for culturing pearls, the Pearl Farm Beach Resort on Samal Island, in the Davao Gulf offers a unique seaside getaway.  Much of the resort’s distinctiveness comes from the architecture, which was adapted from the traditional houses on stilts that the seafaring tribes of Mindanao – the Samal and the Badjao – build above the water.

Adapting to the curve of the coastline, the resort plan calls for the least disturbance of the natural setting and the extensive use of indigenous materials so the colors and textures of the structures blend with the island’s greenery.

At the northeast end of the resort is a row of six two-story suites – actually self-contained houses – clustered like a traditional Samal village.  The roofs, formed from bamboo poles cut in overlapping terraces, extend forward in a point, reminiscent of traditional Mindanao houses.  The resort also uses bamboo extensively in the exteriors and interiors, particularly in the veranda, which provides a panoramic view of the ocean and the mainland. 

A large hexagonal gazebo with pagodalike twin roofs serves as the main clubhouse and dining room.  The top roof is inspired by the shape of a salakot, or farmer’s gourd hat; the secondary roof shelters the main dining area.

Along the hillside, more modestly scaled suites follow the same basic Mindanao-inspired design, with bamboo and rattan providing the dominant textures.

Eventually, the Pearl Farm resort area came to include a portion of Malipano Island, on which a second cluster of suites on stilts was built above the water.  These are bamboo shingles, and the wraparound ipil decks. 

1. Use of double skin facades (made from bamboo) to avoid heat gain and protect the structure from the harsh environment.
2. Use of LED lighting
3. Use the Inverted type air-conditioning.
4. Dual flushing systems for toilet fixtures
5. Use of low flow shower heads for water conservation
6. Use of indigenous materials such as bamboo, coconut and rattan
7. Use of bamboo as a sustainable roofing material
8. Local wood was used from sustainable forestry
9. Use of low VOC paints and adhesives
10. Pearl farm is considered a marine sanctuary and promotes the protection of marine ecology