For the frequent visitor to Tagaytay, Swiss chalets, Bali and Mediterranean-inspired architecture, and log cabins are nothing new. Even the eclectic English garden look has become less of a novelty.
One of the more noteworthy houses in the city, which has recently been rented as a very private bed and breakfast, is Meteora, one of the weekend residences of Dr. Joven Cunanang.
Built in 1999 to mark a personal milestone, the house is a nostalgic reminder of his travels to the Greek islands, particularly to its namesake, the religious enclave located more than 400 km from Athens.
Meteora was recently turned over to Sonya Garcia of Sonya’s Garden as a unique bed and breakfast. Guests can check in and have their complimentary lunch or dinner at Sonya’s in Tagaytay, enjoy a pampering massage, then proceed to Meteora.
Overlooking the lake at Ligaya Drive, the road that leads to Talisay, is a quiet and unassuming house that you most likely drive past without a second look. For one thing, the Meteora house in Tagaytay is hardly visible from the street. All that one sees is a plain, weathered wooden gate, a white dome, a garage, and plenty of agave plants.
The structures (for there are two) are both whitewashed, with the roof deck of the main house serving as the vantage point for enjoying an unimpeded view of the lake, Mounts Makiling and Banahaw, and the surrounding countryside. Stone steps lead down to the second, then the ground floor — each step a piece of San Esteban stone sourced from Ilocos Sur — the paving material used for most of the horizontal surfaces in the residence.
Only the deep red of the bougainvillea flowers, and the yellow of the hibiscus, serve as counterpoints to the immaculate walls and steps. Agave plants and other succulents provide refreshing touches of green against the pale to dark blue of the ever-changing sky.
The spartan, almost monastic quality of the place is enhanced by the minimal treatment — in lieu of furniture, cement and stone are formed into sofas and beds — seemingly carved out of the rock, with foam mattresses covered in the distinctive white on white of the classic designs of the Ilocano abel fabric. A fireplace in the main living area provides warmth during the colder days of the year, while glass panels open up to relieve the mugginess of sultry summer days.
Wooden windows from Ilocos houses serve as shade — protection fro the harsh glare of the morning sun, as the house faces the lake and mountains in the east.
The second floor of the Meteora in Tagaytay is made from solid timber floorboards. The doctor calls the Meteora home a fusion of classic Greek proportions and the plain stark beauty that is the hallmark of Ilocano architecture. Even the doors of the two bedrooms, and the closets, are recycled from Ilocos ancestral homes.
Mosquito netting is used a window treatment — a pleasant remind of how the nearby town of Taal was once a major source of fine kulambo or mosquito nets. Hand-embroidered cutton duvet and pillow covers are the common denominator with the English country signature look of Sonya’s Garden.
Most of the art works inside the house are sculptures — works of Salvador Alonday, who molds modern materials like resin, Epoxy, and cement into beautiful sculptural pieces, using traditional casting methods.
A graceful Mater Dolorosa has exquisite craquelure, while a life-sized “Sabel” stands guard by the fireplace — the only one authorized by National Artist Bencab. The house is a virtual museum of Alonday sculptures, with a piece in almost every room, including the veranda.
A large mural by Tony Leano serves as backdrop to the dining table, while an even more monumental work by Jose Santos III is a commanding presence at the second floor landing beside the master’s bedroom. Memorabilia from the doctor’s travels to Greece, Turkey, and Morocco mix well with a small collection of Ilocos furniture and decorative items.
The Meteora home in Tagaytay was built to commemorate the doctor’s 60th birthday, an important event, as it marks one’s return to his year of birth, a completion of the five 12-year cycles of oriental zodiac. It is an event that celebrates an end, but likewise signifies fullness of years and maturity.