Bamboo

In the Philippines' rural areas, bamboo huts are still widely used for homes. Traditionally, the roof is made of nipa palm leaves. Though the roof of this one has been replaced with corrugated iron sheets, it still sports a small fringe of nipa under the peak. The raised floor, which is also made of bamboo, has many uses: it helps with air circulation and cooling; when it rains and the ground outside turns to mud, it prevents the mud from seeping into the house; and the sheltered space underneath is also where the family's animals (especially dogs and chickens) can sleep at night. This hut was along the Pan-Philippine Highway somewhere between the towns of Pagudpud and Burgos in Ilocos Norte. Not quite so remote—they're on the power grid.