A double-height U-shaped building on the hub site at Ragay. Ground floor: butcher shop, cold storage, operations. Upper floor: Alejandro's Cafe — a full restaurant with show kitchen, wraparound balcony, and food forest courtyard below. Plus a 3-bedroom manager's residence attached at upper floor level behind the earth rampart.
Designed from Aido's 5 years at Treetops Restaurant (Travelodge Mirambeena, Darwin) and 2 years at Frontier Hotel Darwin Rooftop Restaurant.
The building uses the right material for each job. Ground floor rear: reefer containers buried in earth rampart for cold storage. Ground floor front: CHB block walls for butcher and ops. Upper floor: light steel frame on the container ring with nipa roof over sealed membrane. The result is unmistakably Filipino — a massive nipa structure with containers doing the hard work invisibly.
| Element | Material | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ground floor rear | 4x reefer hi-cube containers | Cold rooms + freezers — passive insulation in rampart |
| Ground floor front | CHB 150mm rendered | Butcher + ops — local trades, local materials |
| Upper floor spine | 2x reefer hi-cube (20ft + 40ft) | Kitchen back wall + structural ring |
| Upper floor frame | Light steel + FCB deck | Open, airy, tropical restaurant |
| Roof | Torch-on membrane + nipa overlay | Sealed waterproof with traditional appearance |
| All glazing | UPVC frames + toughened glass | Zero maintenance, typhoon rated, no rust |
| All floors | Tiled — porcelain throughout | Durable, easy clean, slip-rated |
| Residence | Light steel + FCB + nipa on poles | Matches hub aesthetic |
Six reefer hi-cube containers form the horseshoe. All purchased as insulated shells — compressor units removed. Remote refrigeration installed separately.
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Rear bar | 1x 20ft + 1x 40ft = 18.25m wide |
| Wings | 2x 40ft, one each side = 12.192m deep |
| Breezeway | 3.0m gap |
| Total depth | 15.192m |
| Clear span | 13.374m |
| Container height | Hi-cube 2.690m internal |
Why all reefers: Better insulation throughout — not just cold rooms. Upper floor kitchen spine is naturally cooler. Used reefers with dead compressors are the cheapest category at container yards.
The single most important engineering element. One structure — five jobs.
Looks native. Fully sealed. Five layers:
From inside guests see nipa. From outside it's a traditional nipa building. The membrane means it never leaks.
Every window, every door, every glass panel: UPVC frames with toughened glass. Zero maintenance, no painting, no rust, no termites. This is typhoon country — laminated toughened glass on the bifold doors.
Full-length UPVC bifold doors on both wing inner faces (12.192m each). When fully open, interior dining merges seamlessly with the wraparound balcony. This is the Darwin rooftop experience.
Hardwood posts + stainless steel cable railings on all 3 sides. Unobstructed view down to food forest courtyard. Bolted to cantilever frame.
Reefers (buried rear) → Butcher (ground floor) → Dumbwaiter → Rear Kitchen (upper floor)
Vertical and tight — no long warm runs. Four rooms: 2x cool room (2–4°C), 2x freezer (−18°C). All remote standalone refrigeration — easier to service, more efficient, replaceable. Equipment in shaded service yard for heat rejection.
| Zone | Area | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Rear kitchen (production) | 73.6m² | Combi oven, grill, hob, brat pan, fryers, prep benches |
| Show kitchen | 28m² | Charcoal char grill centrepiece, display cabinets — guest chooses cut |
| Interior dining | ~101.5m² | 12x 4-top tables, 48 seats, wood-look porcelain tile floor |
| Wraparound balcony | ~119m² | 6x 4-top tables, 24 seats, anti-slip tile, string lights |
| Bar | 4.5m L-shape | 8 stools, 2 undercounter fridges, ice machine, cashless POS |
| TOTAL DINING | ~220.5m² | 80 covers total |
Secondhand ex-restaurant equipment from Cartimar Market (Pasay), Divisoria surplus dealers, ex-hotel auctions Manila. Allow 4–6 weeks lead time for transport to Ragay. Kitchen hood fire suppression system mandatory.
Custom freshwater aquarium with integrated live herb garden. Divides restaurant almost in two — each side can be split for separate events. Herbs connect to rear trellis garden supply. Living display, not a service station.
Retail butcher + prep room. NOT a slaughterhouse — carcasses arrive whole or quartered. Slaughterhouse is a 5-year plan, separate build, separate site.
117.3m² (17m x 6.9m) elevated on steel poles behind the earth rampart. Light steel frame, FCB, nipa cladding — matches hub aesthetic. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, laundry. No kitchen — residence connects directly to hub building at same level.
Plan based on Selecta Homes design (Port Lincoln SA, 2023) that Aido designed and built. Every spec is known.
Tax: Company-provided housing, CEO salary package. FBT at 35% grossed-up (modest at provincial rates). Corporate asset depreciating 20 years. Accountant to structure.
| Phase | Work |
|---|---|
| 1 | Site prep — clear, grade, drainage channels, raised pad |
| 2 | Container delivery — all 6 reefer hi-cubes positioned by crane |
| 3 | Earth rampart — fill, compact, install water tanks on top |
| 4 | Structural steel — weld containers, floor joists, balcony outriggers |
| 5 | Roof — steel structure + torch-on membrane + batten grid + nipa |
| 6 | CHB ground floor walls — local trades |
| 7 | UPVC glazing + bifold doors installed |
| 8 | Electrical + plumbing rough-in |
| 9 | Refrigeration — remote units, pipework, commissioning |
| 10 | Tiling — restaurant floor, balcony, butcher walls + floor, kitchen |
| 11 | Kitchen fit-out + butcher fit-out |
| 12 | Restaurant fit-out — bar, furniture, aquarium, lighting |
| 13 | Residence — on poles, can run parallel from Phase 6 |
| 14 | Fire safety + security |
| 15 | Commissioning — test all systems, temperature logs, safety checks |
| Section | Cost (PHP) |
|---|---|
| Containers — 6x reefer hi-cube | 1,230,000 |
| Ground floor slab (277m²) | 465,954 |
| Driveway + car park (limestone) | 503,600 |
| Drainage system | 107,000 |
| Building structure — CHB + light steel | 1,684,308 |
| Roof — torch-on + nipa | 1,693,528 |
| Earth rampart + access ramp | 466,400 |
| External stairs + dumbwaiter | 250,000 |
| Water system | 418,000 |
| Electrical & power | 627,000 |
| Cold chain — refrigeration | 685,000 |
| Fire safety + security + drainage | 438,000 |
| Glazing + UPVC doors + railings | 1,544,000 |
| Kitchen fit-out | 947,760 |
| Restaurant fit-out | 1,364,050 |
| Butcher fit-out | 554,300 |
| Manager's residence | 1,390,597 |
| TOTAL BUILD COST | ₱13,369,497 |
| Excl. land (4.5M in Trust) | ₱8,869,497 |
All values March 2026 estimates in Philippine Peso. Get 3 quotes minimum for every major line item. See NanaBambis_Build_Costing_v3.xlsx for full editable workings.
| Item | Decision Needed |
|---|---|
| Structural engineer | Sign-off: balcony cantilever, container welds, upper floor load rating |
| Dumbwaiter position | Which end of rear kitchen — left or right? Confirm before slab pour |
| UPVC colour | White or dark grey frames? Dark grey disappears better but costs ~10% more |
| Container height confirmation | Hi-cube confirmed at 2.690m — verify with supplier before purchase |
| Slaughterhouse | 5-year plan — separate build, separate site, separate costing |
"Use what you have. Build what lasts. Leave something worth inheriting."
Nana Bambi's · Ragay, Camarines Sur, Bicol