SITE ANALYSIS:

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Our vision

1. For the children we create an environment where students learn to be active participants of their community evolving them into holistic individuals who believe they CAN make a difference.

2. For Guiuan we create an environment that is an integral part of their social and cultural life in addition to being a secure haven for the community during disasters.

 

Concept

On November 8, 2013 the Philippines was struck by a powerful tropical cyclone, known to be the deadliest on record, that killed nearly 6201 people in the country and destroyed the homes of many. Schools are one of the primary places where people seek shelter in such times of calamity and are a priority in the rebuilding efforts that have begun. The classroom prototype that we have designed would be used to rebuild Guiuan High School that will be a primary example for other schools of similar context. While it is not possible to estimate the magnitude of the next disaster, as builders of the future and participants of this course, we have responded by developing strategies to create built environments that reduce the intensity of damage without compromising on the climatic suitability of the building fabric for a tropical climate. Our response to strengthen resiliency is through a synergy of building and site strategies, adopting local materials, simple and familiar methods of construction to create modular structures that can be built easily by the community. Through an infusion of programmatic elements that lend it a local flavor and public spaces that welcome the community, the school is re-invented as a child friendly-community centric hub that reinforces togetherness, security and a sense of pride in their local culture.

 

Project site

GUIUAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Site Location: Eastern Samar, Philippines

Area: approx. 27000 sqm

Climate: Tropical monsoon

Natural Hazards: typhoons, earthquakes

Vegetation: Surrounded by forest

Accessibility: Trunk road along the east

Existing Conditions: There are 27 existing one-story structures on the site that have been partly destroyed by typhoon Haiyan. The municipality supplies water and electricity. The site lies about 1.5 km from the coast and the influence of the sea cannot be undermined.
 

CLASSROOM DESIGN:

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Concept

The building prototype (22,90m x 9,40m) has been designed as a simple rectangle, capable of lending itself to flexible and varied uses. Each of these classrooms modules (11,50m x 9,40m) is paired such that two of them share a common partitioning wall and roof and work as an independent building block. The reason for such a pairing is to facilitate use of larger space as required- such as those in times of a calamity when the school itself transforms into a community shelter and these paired class rooms become the safe refuge centers as elaborated in a later section of this presentation.The same structure can thus be adapted for many other functions which demand larger areas, such as the library, workshop, auditorium, exhibition spaces, canteen, gym, etc.
 

CLASSROOM STRUCTURE:

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structural concept and building technique

The structure is made from a hybrid building technique that integrates the old with the new. It essentially consists of a solid concrete base, with bamboo framing a composite infill wall which is then covered with a lightweight ventilated double roof.These structures are required to withstand extreme climatic and seismic forces. Good structural resilience, we learnt, warrants the need for proper structural connections between the various building elements.To ensure good and continuous connection between all parts of the structure to the foundation a reinforced concrete wall is built until the window sill level. Bamboo framing poles that hold the whole structure and adjacent overhangs are pinned into this sill high concrete wall. These bamboo poles are connected to the concrete wall with simple metal rod inserts and between them with traditional connections or in specific situations as the hipped roof, through designed metal fabricated connections.To cover and protect the bamboo poles, a “Bajareque” wall is raised alongside it. This technique consists of attaching split bamboo to the sides of the framing poles and filling in the voids with earth. This composite wall is then plastered from the outside to protect it from weathering.Over the bamboo structure lays the ventilated double layered roof. The air cavity between the two layers of the roof prevents heat from entering the room below and also allows the hot air to escape to the outside. The underside of this roof- its lower layer- is a envisaged to be a light weight board (for eg. a 12mm cement board)- which could also be insulative, while the upper exposed layer is a corrugated metal or similar sheet in bamboo.Since most of the heat gain in the tropics is from the roof, this design of the ventilated double roof, keeps out the heat and ensures thermal comfort for its occupants internally. The overhang roof is made from local thatch or straw and is designed as a light weight structure such that in the situation of typhoon or strong wind the roofing material will provide little or no resistance to the wind and so will not compromise the integrity of the entire structure. The material palette for this project is deliberately kept non-prescriptive as we believe that the availability of materials and finances will be key factors and therefore we only outline the building technique leaving the adoption of specific materials open for further exploration.We believe that with the adoption of these simple construction techniques as outlined above, it is possible to design resilient buildings while still using traditional, locally available materials, skills and resources.
 

SITE PLAN DESIGN:

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Planning strategy

The school’s site design stands as an extension of Guiuan’s dynamic. As a design that combines spaces for education, culture and leisure, it also attempts to create an identity which is coherent with that of the local community. The school integrates an appropriate scale of built environments- in its design, local materials and building techniques - in its construction and facilitates activities of relevance to the local community – in its use. The conventional school program was tied with varying scales of green spaces that will host multiple activities related to the community’s routine. Accessibility and gathering were the prioritized as concerns to create a dynamic atmosphere in a condition to shelter the local community, especially during emergency situations. Thus, the design aims to reinforce the social relevance of the school and it’s importance in educating the community’s current and future citizens.

 

Bamboo groves protection

Many are stronger than one. That’s why we decided to create a dense bamboo grove - almost forest like-surrounding the school buildings and playgrounds. Starting from the positive and carving out the negative, first we remove the areas of clusters and playgrounds, then we connect the voids with paths and finally the buildings are placed within these carved out cluster areas. This strategy of surrounding the buildings with a bamboo forest, we believe, will ensure that strong winds blow through and remain above the buildings while also creating a shield against flying objects (like debris during a typhoon). We have, however, ensured adequate space around the bamboo groves to allow natural light and ventilation to buildings and for circulation between them.
 

SITE DESIGN METHODOLOGY:

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1 | site conditions

A study was done to determine the best orientation and siting of the buildings to ensure least resistance to prevailing winds, cross ventilation and appropriate natural lighting.

 

2 | sectorization

organization of the classrooms into clusters and open common facilities for a mixed and flexible use of the school campus.

 

3 | clusters hierarchies

clusters: class rooms are organized around small central green spaces that support outdoor activities and act as green resting areas during class recesses;

nodes: gathering areas for multiple activities and are the points of convergence of classrooms clusters and toilets paths to the center;

center: extension of the local urban fabric, the larger scale space of concentration and leisure and it is also related to the functions of the adjacent common facilities.

 

4 | circulation hierarchies

local paths: intimate and narrow paths between the classrooms and the common facilities. It connects the clusters to the nodes;

perimeter path: runs adjacent to the peripheral landscaped debris mounds and is connected to the small clusters through lateral courtyards;

main path: a wider path, it ties the whole campus together connecting the nodes to the center and its public areas, creating a referential path to the users.

 

5 | natural protection elements

bamboo grove: fills the gaps between the buildings and protects from excessive winds. Surrounding the paths, these groves create an intriguing atmosphere that gradually reveals existing elements on campus, ensures privacy for the toilets;

landscaped debris mound: a combination of a mound and stepped garden, these natural barriers are laden with vegetation capable of inhibiting the effects of floods and reducing the high wind loads incident on buildings;

rain garden: following the topography, a detention pond is designed along the SW corner to drain surface water via channels. This shallow pond with a percolating base for ground water recharge collects rain water. An edge shelf planting of locally rooted aquatic plants is proposed on the drainage detention pond.​



 

SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES:

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Phases of the project development

The schools plan is designed such that it can be expanded in phases as described in the image above depending on the availability of financial and other resources.

 

Sustainability and resilience

The foremost strategy of resilience design, in our view, is the preparedness and ability to adapt to an ever changing, uncertain future.This meant designing the school and its various systems to be off- the grid, free from external dependencies for water, waste disposal, construction materials and energy & food - to the extent possible.

 

Our broad strategies are as follows:

Water: Surface run off rain water is carried via a network of drains to the rain garden located in the SW corner – which is the topographically lowest portion of the site.Roof top rain water is filtered and collected in cisterns for use in irrigation of the landscape and for hand-washing in the dry toilets.

Energy:The roofs are designed to take solar panels on their southern aspects supplementing thus and integrating redundancy of dependence on the city’s electrical grid. Also, the huge amount of bio mass generated on site can be effectively used for bio gasification that can feed the energy needs of the canteen’s kitchen.

Materials: The school uses locally available materials in its construction reducing the ecological footprint substantially.

Food: The design aspires to achieve independence in terms of food and sows the seeds of this very important thought in the minds of the students by integrating edible landscapes on campus.

Waste: Annually, each of us produce 50L of feces & 500L of urine but use 15,000L of water to flush it away. On the other hand, in a UDDT (Urine Diversion Dry Toilet) the problem is shrunk nearly 75% by drying out and removing the water content from feces. A two –chamber UDDT, which has been successfully implemented in Philippines in the past*, is designed for the school. The pan for urine diversion is of prime importance for the proper functioning of the system. A tried and tested squatting pan from India, the Conscientious crapper v2.1**, is proposed for these toilets. Dry leaves are used as dehydrating materials for the dry toilets. Feces is stored in chambers for over 12 months. It then undergoes secondary treatment, as recommended for effective decomposition in these humid –tropical conditions, in vermi-composting pits that also composts excess dry leaves.

References:* http://www.ecosanres.org/pdf_files/Low-costSustainableSanitationSolutionsMindanaoPhilippines2010.pdf** http://www.schools.indiawaterportal.org/sites/schools.indiawaterportal.org/files/Cob_Loo.pdf

 

DISASTERS PREVENTION AND POST DISASTERS TOOLS:

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Disaster scenario

Our initial site context studies revealed that the project site lies 15m above sea level which makes it less prone to floods. Typhoon Haiyan brought with it a storm surge of 9m and spared this area from rising flood havoc. This region is mostly affected by raging cyclonic winds from the NE and earthquakes. Let’s examine the ways in which our design helps strengthen resilience during disaster.Earthquake resilience: 1. Designing the prototype as a single storey structure for greater stability; 2. Strong connection ties between the roof, walls and foundation for proper load transfer; 3. Reinforced structureTyphoon resilience: 1. The structure has a simple rectangular plan to avoid reentrant corners that weaken the structure; 2. A hipped roof to deflect wind upwards; 3. The overhang roof is structurally disconnected from the main so in the eventuality of a storm it does not compromise on the stability of the whole structure; 4. Operable window shutters that act as an overhang when open, can be shut down completely to protect the interiors during typhoon, 5. The prototypes are oriented along the NE-SW direction to reduce the intensity of the wind directly on the structure, 6. The shorter wall which faces the wind is constructed as a Bajaraque wall with no openings and an increased thickness The landscape on the NE edge is designed to function as a protective barrier through the creation of a mound of about 1.3m-1.8 m in height out of waste debris, packed with top soil having local typhoon resistant planting atop it along its windward side. This helps in breaking the force of winds before it even hits the building.

 

Post disaster scenario

The prototype module would function as an evacuation center where the partition wall is open and it becomes one large room of 200 sqm. Since families would find themselves sharing this space with strangers, privacy becomes a key issue that must be addressed. Architect Shigeru Ban created a simple partition system for earthquake and tsunami victims in Japan made of cardboard tubes and curtains*. The largest tube (10cm in diameter) acts as a column that connects to a smaller tube that works as a beam. The smallest of all, then, serves to make the joint solid. The components can be cut to obtain any dimension. Such a partition system can be adapted within the large room to give privacy to families in the aftermath of a disaster.

* http://www.domusweb.it/en/interviews/2011/05/09/disaster-relief-project-1-interview-with-shigeru-ban.html

 

CONCLUSION:

 

Going local

Our design takes into consideration the tropical monsoon climate of the site as well as its vulnerability to strong winds and earthquakes. The building occupants would benefit from large windows for cross ventilation, wide overhangs, and a steep 4 sided roof. By using local materials like bamboo as well as simple and familiar methods of construction, the structure can be built easily by the community. We have also considered the local culture through the inclusion of specific games played by Filipino children in our open spaces. Bamboo groves envelop the buildings for added resilience and shade. A landscaped mound created from waste debris on the NE edge of the site has local typhoon resistant plants planted on it in the windward side. The leeward side is stepped to create a produce garden that grows local food crops to facilitate food security during emergencies and provide for the canteen on other days. The students are taught to tend to this garden themselves as a step in the empowering process.

 

Accessibility to the disabled

The buildings are designed as single storey structures to make it universally accessible. Facilities at a higher level are accessed with the help of ramps.

 

Flexibility and Adaptability

The prototype’s design as a module with two classrooms separated by a partition gives it flexibility of use. This structure can thus be adapted to accommodate ancillary programs with larger space requirements like the gym, canteen, library, workshops and offices. At the time of emergencies, two classrooms can be combined to function as one big room to shelter families. The schools can be expanded in phases depending on the requirement of classrooms at that particular time.

 

Our proposal, thus, seeks to develop a resilient prototype that is simple to build and replicate within a self-sustaining system and one that nurtures and educates the students through the spaces created for them.