How a Historic Church in Lazi Inspires Hive Modular and Modern Housing in the Philippines
A visit to the coral stone church and convent in Lazi revealed timeless design principles that still guide Hive Modular today. The building’s natural ventilation, patterned hardwood floors, filtered light, and climate aware craftsmanship reflect the same values we apply to modular homes in the Philippines and the growing movement toward modern housing and sustainable housing. These insights shape our work in modular housing, modular home design, modular construction, and prefab construction as we continue creating modular homes that feel rooted in place and built for tropical living.
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Lazi, Siquijor, Philippines, November 03, 2025 – 3 weeks ago, I spent a day motorcycling around Siquijor and made an unexpected stop at one of the island’s most beautiful surprises: the San Isidro Labrador Parish Church and Convent in Lazi. Built in the late 1800s by Filipino craftsmen, the complex is a masterpiece of coral stone, hardwood, and tropical light. The space blends European influence with local ingenuity, and it reminded me how design rooted in place continues to guide the direction of modular homes in the Philippines and the broader movement toward modern housing.
Inside the church, everything feels carefully considered. The stained glass softens the tropical sun. The patterned floors remain cool despite the heat. The wide corridors draw in breezes without the need for mechanical systems. All these details show an architecture deeply connected to climate and craft, and they continue to shape how we approach modular housing, modular housing design, and the next generation of modular homes that respond naturally to the Philippine environment.
The feature that stayed with me most was the flooring. The wooden planks arranged in chevron and herringbone patterns still feel solid and warm underfoot. These hardwoods have lasted for more than a century, even as many builders today avoid wood out of fear of termites or rot. Yet here they are, strong and full of character. This is the same lesson we use when planning modular construction, modular build strategies, and prefabricated construction. When material, design, and environment support one another, architecture lasts.
At Hive Modular, historic places like this influence how we explore new facade treatments, interior finishes, and construction systems. Everything we learn becomes part of our modular home design work, our research into prefab construction, and our development of modular designs that celebrate natural ventilation, filtered light, and materials that grow more beautiful with time. These ideas guide the creation of communities ranging from compact homes 2 bedroom layouts to larger residential clusters. Whether clients look for modular modular homes, modular homes modular homes, or even homes modular homes that feel deeply connected to Filipino identity, we aim to build structures that are rooted in place and built to last for generations.
The church in Lazi shows that some of the best lessons for sustainable housing are already part of our architectural heritage. They continue to influence how we build prefab today and how we imagine the future of modular homes in the Philippines with a focus on climate, craft, and enduring design.
Let’s keep building. 🐝
Written by John Avrett.
CEO and Founder of Hive Modular.