Boix House Redux Project: Crowdfunding a Heritage House in Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Want to save a heritage house? A non-profit organization called the Kapitbahayan sa Kalye Bautista atbp. Lugar, Inc. (KKB) has started a crowdfunding initiative to restore the historic Kasa Boix and transform it into a community center and creative space. 

The Kasa Boix was considered an architectural gem in its time. It was built in the neo-Renaissance style along Barbosa (now Bautista) St. in Quiapo by Don Marciano Teotico in 1895. Over the years, the house was used as a dormitory and an office, among others. Notable people who lived within its halls include former president Manuel L. Quezon and poet/journalist Jose R. Teotico. The house is adjacent to Bahay Nakpil-Bautista, also a historic heritage house, where heroes Julio Nakpil and Gregoria de Jesus lived. 

Now, Kasa Boix has visible deteriorations and a structural engineer is urgently needed to assess its stability and commend retrofitting guidelines. This is why KKB is starting a crowdfunding effort to help save Kasa Boix. The group envisions the house to be adaptively reused as a community-cum-creative space for the enjoyment of the residents in Quiapo as well to serve as a model of conserving other heritage sites. 

KKB has already gathered enough interest among young people and professionals in social media via their Spark Project page: http://launch.thesparkproject.com/boix-house-redux-project/. Over fifty people pledged to help the restoration financially and in other aspects. The group continues to attract more attention to their cause by organizing tours like Lakbay Lakaran sa Quiapo and educational discussions or small parties in the house.

If successful, Kasa Boix could be the very first heritage house in the Philippines which restoration is to be crowdfunded, similar to what other countries have done in the past. 

For more information about the Boix House Redux Project, contact Stephen John Pamorada at stephenpamorada@gmail.com. You can also visit the Boix House Redux – Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KasaBoixRedux or the Kapitbahayan sa Kalye Bautista atbp. Lugar, Inc. – Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/KapitbahayansaKalyeBautista