Adaptive Reuse of Casa Rocha-Suarez: Revival of Ancestral Prestige in Sitio Ubos, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

BS Architecture

Jestone is an architecture graduate of Bohol Island State University – Main Campus who developed discipline and practical skills through his studies and working student experience, and continues to grow professionally while pursuing his passion for architecture and aiming for an international career.

BS Architecture

Guided by a passion for the built past, Scarlet Chikky is a DOST Undergraduate-Merit Scholar. She led the thesis on the adaptive reuse of Casa Rocha-Suarez in Tagbilaran City, deepening her admiration for heritage conservation and fueling her vision to venture beyond conventional practice into the wider disciplines of architecture.

BS Architecture

Mica Ella is a graduate of Bohol Island State University – Main Campus with a Bachelor of Science degree in Architecture and she aims to constantly grow, explore, and contribute to the community through thoughtful and people-centered designs.

BS Architecture

Vincent, a graduate of Bohol Island State University – Main Campus who developed a deep appreciation for architectural design and planning, he aims to explore architecture and the construction world to professionally grow in his Career as an Architect.

BS Architecture

Victoria Rose, a Bachelor of Science in Architecture graduate from Bohol Island State University–Main Campus, aspires to design functional and purposeful spaces with open spaces that connect people, culture, and nature.

Thesis Adviser

Ar. Christian Rey is a licensed architect and full-time instructor at Bohol Island State University-Main Campus, with a background in architectural practice and government service covering design, project management, and field supervision. He teaches Construction Management and Urban/Regional Planning at BISU, and serves as an active member of the United Architects of the Philippines Bohol Chapter. He is currently pursuing his Master of Architecture in Urban Design at the University of San Carlos, Cebu.

College Dean

“The College of Engineering, Architecture, and Industrial Design expresses its great pride in the student researchers for this outstanding achievement. Their work reflects commendable dedication to heritage conservation and architectural excellence. Through their study, they have shown how architecture can bridge the past and the future, transforming heritage assets into spaces that educate, inspire, and serve the community. This publication highlights the important role of future architects as stewards of the nation’s built heritage. May it inspire continued commitment to conservation and encourage innovative approaches to preserving culturally significant structures for generations to come.”

Casa Rocha-Suarez, a 180-year-old Important Cultural Property in the Heritage Core of Sitio Ubos, Tagbilaran City, Bohol, is proposed for adaptive reuse to address its physical decline while preserving its architectural and historical significance. The design transforms the ground floor into a café celebrating the house’s association with Las Hermanas Rochas’ pastry legacy, the second floor into a periodic museum, and the rear into a conceptual small inn. This initiative revitalizes the structure as a living heritage landmark, balancing conservation integrity with a contemporary function.