Blk 113: Preserving the legacy of a family home

Along Connecticut Street in Greenhills, San Juan lies a boutique commercial building that easily stands out among the different commercial spaces and establishments that line the busy road.

- Iris Gonzales

Its design is somewhat utilitarian, a style that is rooted in the industrial era's ethos which puts emphasis on function and simplicity. True enough, the building's facade is mostly a shade of dark, accentuated by a brown wall in front with its name on it - Blk 113.

Inside, it gets even more interesting. The place is a testament of modern sustainability and mindful design. Every element has use and purpose and some of the pieces of furniture are repurposed items or made from recycled materials.

There is efficient use of energy and space; it doesn't even have an elevator - at least for now - but has a well-designed staircase where one doesn't feel tired upon reaching the third floor. For the senior citizens, there are seats strategically placed in different parts of the staircase if they want to rest a bit on their way up.

One may imagine Blk 113 as a family-run boutique bed-and-breakfast inn like those found in Sagada in the northern Philippines or in the nooks and crannies of charming European cities.

Or one may think of it as the home of an art collector, an interior designer or someone passionate about music.

In a sense, Blk 113 is a little of all that. It is a commercial space that spans 2,000 square meters across three levels and is owned by the Bustamante family, a tight-knit Filipino family that used to run Bustamante Press, a printing press which operated from 1969 to 1994.

It occupies one small block or blk for short. It was also the site of the family's cherished childhood home.