Municipal Halls of the BARMM

Smart Vernacular Principles in Mindanao Architecture

By Ar. Gloryrose Dy Metilla

We are surrounded by architecture. We are influenced by it, provided continuity with the past, and connected to the future. Considering a building or a place that is dear to us and thinking back to the past, we could ask: why are we connected to that place? The answer is simple. The place holds memories for us. The place has both positive and negative memories that make it valuable and significant.

than my sister Pearl, but by the time she was 10, she was by half an inch taller than me.

We value places at the local level by making them historical landmarks in tourist spots, and at the national level by making them our national treasures. The World Heritage Sites (WHS) list includes places with historical or aesthetic value around the world. The Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China have become universally valuable because of the WHS.

We do this all the time. As a family, we value our homes so much, and we even have favorite spots. My favorite spot was my main door because it shows my height progression. When I was 8, I was slightly taller

Values associated with places carry memories over time. We give our significant stories a home, which allows a continued dialogue from generation to generation. The question is, how can we carry on the important stories of places when their identity is on the verge of extinction, like Mindanao Architecture? I never heard about this in architecture school. Japanese and Chinese religious buildings were discussed in a section on Asian Architecture and World Architecture.

Filipino architecture was discussed, especially Spanish-Filipino architecture. In most cases, architects’ research on Philippine heritage focuses on the Spanish and American influences.

Architecture in Mindanao received little attention.

A living heritage has created value by preserving memory and passing it on through generations.

The Philippines is made up of over 110 ethnolinguistic groups, according to the

United Nations Development Program. In the Philippines, 33% of these groups are in the north, and 61% are in Mindanao. There are 67 Indigenous peoples living either at the foot of mountain ranges or on them.

What exactly is Mindanao Architecture?

It refers to Filipino architecture in Mindanao. Mindanao has an architecture that reflects the ethnolinguistic groups as well as the evolutionary changes inherent in every architecture.

In addition to being an architecture of the cultural communities, Mindanao Architecture is sustainable architecture. Sustainability and smartness are characterized by three elements and principles. It is an architecture that is simultaneously modern and vernacular. These principles include livability, sustainability, and cultural sensitivity.

For a better understanding of this, I present to you my design of the municipal halls in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao.

Under the Minister of the Interior and Local Government, Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, the Municipal Halls of BARMM offers one of the best examples of modern Mindanao architecture incorporating smart vernacular principles. Currently, eleven municipal halls are being constructed in the BARMM areas, designed by Swito Designs Architects, my firm.

Livability

Floor plans for the BARMM Municipal Halls depict a half-moon with major offices at each end. With Panolong end beams and Okir details, the elevation is in keeping with a Maranao style. There are vents in the transom and gable ends of the roof for maximum airflow. The building is livable because of this. It is livable due to its multi-dimensionality and multiple uses in space. To improve airflow and provide a sense of openness, the floor-to-ceiling height is high.

Sustainability

Furthermore, BARMM’s Municipal Halls are examples of sustainability because they are built in accordance with nature. The materials used in the production are sourced locally and include local timber, and woodcarvings by woodcarvers in the area, which are then combined with modern technology to produce the product. It also reduces logistical costs and boosts the local economy.

Cultural Sensitivity

BARMM’s municipal halls are also designed with cultural sensibility in mind. Because traditional elements have been preserved in the design, it resonates with Moro peoples. It’s like an endless tale of aesthetic storytelling. Throughout each building is décor that represents the making, building, and retelling of memories by the Bangsamoro people.

The building of the Municipal Halls of BARMM is historical the sites did not have municipal halls.

And because it is SMART Vernacular, it hopes to inspire other buildings in the BARMM and in the Philippines to have those principles as well. Let architecture heal and promote peace everywhere.

Designing Prototypal Public Spaces

K-Farm for the People and the Community

K-Farm Gianfranco Galagar

Introduction

The Philippines faces a severe deficiency in the supply of public spaces and development has been slow since the 1960s, though recent public awareness has begun to gain traction. While the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a minimum of 9 square meters of open space per person, both the Philippines and Hong Kong do not meet this recommendation at 5 square meters and 2 square meters of open space per person respectively. The HKSAR government proposes to raise the minimum standard 2.5 square meters per person under the 2030+ Planning Vision and Strategy. While a direct comparison of both countries may be inappropriate due to various factors, the need for various stakeholders like the government, different agencies, and the public to identify communal needs to plan open spaces for everyone’s benefit remains universal. Co-creation allows the development of appropriate public spaces that can enhance and support Filipino values. This process was used during the development of K-Farm in Hong Kong.

Avoid Obvious Architects

K-Farm is the first prototype urban farm in Hong Kong that deploys a combination of hydroponic, aquaponic, and conventional farming systems as part of an educational and well-being communal platform.

Located in the Western District Public Working Cargo Area known as Belcher Bay, the site was originally a shipping cargo dock. It was considered unsafe and thus closed from public use. Nevertheless, people continued leisure activities like fishing, strolling, and exercising.

Though the city has generous amounts of public facilities like sports parks, leisure parks, libraries, etc., the project’s location had limited public spaces for recreation. Nearby facilities had operating hours which made access limited and were not petfriendly.

Recognizing the value of communal spaces and the harborfront as a natural asset, the government hosted a competition inviting nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and social enterprises (SE) to design a leisure farm and space for people to use safely and comfortably. Avoid Obvious Architects, together with the NGO Rough-C, won the

Site Plan

Main area of hydroponic systems Site Elevation

Custom planters for accessible use during workshops Outdoor Vertical Farming Shelter for classroom & leisurely use

Central open for larger gatherings and events

Greenhouse BFA Planters Rainshelters Event Space Tray Farm HK BD

Belcher Bay Bus Terminal

Open classroom for multi-programs Space

Aquaponic Pond Lawn Reflective Farms

Includes educational equipment

Sit-down space for leisure use Water feature that reflects the environment

Conventional farming ground

Office Pantry/Classroom

Rough C’s main administrative space

Design Philosophy

Traditional Hong Kong parks use the optimized and standardized rectilinear forms in planning and equipment. While serving its purposes well, its optimization focuses on the financial, logistical, and managerial aspects rather than the human experience. For example, play areas and modules are designed for child use which restrict intergenerational activities.

Holding community dialogues and events led us to understand that people do not look to the most updated variety of equipment for their well-being –people spend recreational time outside as a necessary element for a healthier life. Community members sought to break away from the traditional perception of leisure space and this drove the development of the project’s main design language: the curvilinear form. Environmental-behavioral studies show that this form promotes communication, encourages physical activities, and enhances social experiences.

Collaborations with the farmers and NGO operating the urban farm informed the use of circular forms, facilitating ease of communication during knowledge sharing and workshops as the instructor stands in the center of the participants. By focusing on creating spaces of activities during planning, we allocated more spaces to do things rather than creating more circulation to do or see things. Circulation is treated informally and doubles as extended socializing pathways where users can spontaneously interact during farming activities around the edges of the

From the southernmost part to the northernmost part of the site, the six main spaces of K-Farm are as follows:

The Office is the administrative building located at the most private corner of the site and located adjacently is the community pantry, Green Chef, where cooking classes are held.

The Organic Garden hosts farming and educational activities. Lines inscribed on the floor encourage family play. It is next to the pantry so people can easily prepare their freshly harvested food. It has successfully cultivated chili, sunflowers, and watermelons, among others.

The Lawn, The Aqua and The Sky Mirror are the relaxation clusters where people can enjoy sitting down and socializing. They work together as a picnic lawn with an aquaponic farm whose equipment can be viewed for educational purposes. Crowds enjoy taking photos of the environmental reflection here. At the center of the site is K-Plaza, an open area that accommodates flexible programs. To date, designorganization organized children’s programs, music performances, and various presentations have been successfully held in this space.

Three rain shelters are evenly distributed across the site to maximize the panoramic view of the Victoria Harbour and provide public seating. A lot of Filipinos come during the weekend to create socializing space with makeshift dining tables and chairs here!

Finally, the two-storey Hydroponic Garden is located at the western most part of the site. The use of glass provides high communal visibility and invites the public in to learn about hydroponic farming. Thai basil, peppermint, and rosemary are among the many produce it has successfully cultivated. Its steel structure would allow disassembly and relocation to different parts of Hong Kong.

Wood finish materials are used as an extension to the waterfront promenades nearby. The site’s floor finish is continued from the adjacent government’s open leisure space and establishes physical and visual connection.

All materials were sourced within an 800-kilometer radius as part of a sustainability strategy.