Experiencing Architecture & Workshop - Baseco, Manila Philippines

E X P E R I E N C I N G A R C H I T E C T U R E & C O L L A B O R AT I V E W O R K S H O P UCSI x CUHK May 27 - June 06 2019

Oon Wu Han 1001542736

Mapping The Informality: Learning By Making

The workshop offers the opportunity to explore the aea of Baseco Compound, Philippines with an intensive experience by combining field studies and design exercise. It was a collabora�ve workshop between UCSI University and Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), led by Prof. Francesco Rossini, Mr James Lim and Assistant Professor, Mr Jack.

The outcome, based on the team’s analysis and community engagement will be the construc�on of real prototype projects scale 1:1 to improve the condi�on of low-income neighbourhoods through a series of community facili�es.

ABOUT BASECO COMPOUND

One of the densest informal se�lements in Manila, it suffered from natural disasters and high levels of crime and poverty in the last ten years. The need for housing and extremely high popula�on density have put incredible pressure on the basic infrastructure and community services, leading to overcrowded and environmentally unsustainable urban areas.

The facili�es and infrastructures of Baseco Compound are not well preserved.

The spontaneous growth that characterises the development of informal se�lements must be systema�sed with innova�ve methodologies to establish a long-term planning strategy.

Due to lacking of care by the local, the playground was damaged and filled with garbage. Courtesy: Oon Wu Han

The street view of residen�al area.

Courtesy: Winkey Ang

7:50am KLIA 2

DAY 1 2 7

M

a y ,

M

o n

d

a y

University of Santo Tomas

University of Santo Tomas

Baseco Compound

Intramuros

Upon arriving Manila, Philippines, we headed to the University of Santo Tomas, where studio space was provided for us to work on the analysis, discussion and design.

The university is approximately 5.7km away from our studied site, Baseco Compound.

Students from UCSI University and CUHK. The building behind is the museum of University of Santo Tomas.

Site Visit

DAY 2 2 8

M a y ,

T u e s d a y

Baseco Compound

Manila Cathedral

Tribike Gathering Point Studied Site

Tribike Drop-o Point CBLC

Manila Cathedral

Tribike Gathering Point

Local Ice -cream

at Manila Cathedra

l

CBLC, Local NG O

Tribike Drop-o Point The Site

CBLC Studied Site the site street, outside Basketball at the

Prof. Francesco Rossini

Mr Jeorgie, President of Urban Poor Association Membe

ban r of Ur

ssocia Poor A

tion

Back to basic

Intorduc�on and discussion.

Courtesy: Oon Wu Han

A�er arriving Baseco, we kick started our project with discussion with representa�ve from local NGO. CBLC, an office provided by the local community to carry out our discussion and design process.

In last few years, Prof. Francesco had studied the urbanscape of Baseco. He invited the local community who he approached before to join our discussion of the project.

The first day at Baseco, we also walked around the site, guided

by Mr Georgie.

Wandering around.

Courtesy: Oon Wu Han

The kids we met on th at the sit e first day e

Design Process

DAY 3 2 9

M a y ,

W e d n e s d a y

University of Santo Tomas

rer Lectu Lim, ames rsity Mr J CSI Unive U

Mr J ack

, Ass istant CUHK Profess

or

Our design was to turn these few points into short term solu�on: - Children could come and play - Maximum security to prevent vandalism - Must have good ven�la�on because of the weather in Baseco.

We were separated into 3 groups, each group made off students from UCSI University and CUHK. Tha

My

Pho

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Brainstorming

In order to tackle the issues of ven�la�on, we proposed to take reference from ‘Malay House’ of Malaysia that allows maximum air flow, make hot air rises and flow out while the house is elevated so underneath flows air cooling the house. This guided us to have a basic idea of how the structure should look like.

(Online research)

Day Before Presen�ng to Client.

Courtesy: Sally

DAY 4 3 0

M a y ,

T h u r s d a y

University of Santo Tomas

Courtesy: Huan Ping

At first, we had three different op�ons for this prototype, with two very similar ones and one other which was quite different. A�er discussion, our ideas were merged into one and the work separated into two groups: A smaller group would focus on the access to the prototype and the basketball court, whilst the other would focus on the detailed design of the prototype.

Our groups merged together again into one big group and then was re-divided into 5 new groups that focus on different aspects of the 1:1 prototype project: - construc�on - façade - furniture - pain�ng - documenta�on.

Furniture Team

am Facade Te

my, Tom

K

CUH

Courtesy: Yee Jer

Bask etball

Cour

t Pain tin

rrow! entation to The Client Tomo Sketches, Models, Ideas... Pres

g Tea m

Presenta�on Photographer: Robin

DAY 5 3

1

M

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F

r

i

d

Baseco Compound

a

y

Mr Je orgie

Ms Mayeth Batasolo

Our design process has come to a conclusion and we went to Baseco in the morning to have a review with Jeorgie, presen�ng our concepts and ideas. He was sa�sfied with the concepts and ideas, but s�ll sugges�ng other concerns about security and weather. A�er that, we went back to the University of Santo Tomas to have a post-presenta�on review of the ideas and concepts, star�ng to es�mate the budget, amount of materials and tools needed and, most importantly, improving the design according to Jeorgie’s concerns as much as possible.

g...

Presentin

and Pr esentin

g...

Feedback~

Photographer: Robin

Construc�on Day 1 Photographer: Robin

DAY 6 1

J u n e ,

S a t u r d a y

Baseco Compound

Site Cleaning

Loca�ng Founda�on

Excava�ng Ground For Founda�on Stump

Outlining Basketball Court

Photographer: Robin

Materials Purchasing

Sanding Wood, Helped By Local Children

Cu�ng Wood, Helped By Local Children

Jae, CUHK (Korean) Assembling Portal (Strucural Frame)

Photographer: Robin

Construc�on Day 2 Photographer: Robin

2

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,

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Baseco Compound

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Taking Na p

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ood ing W

Sand

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(Tire

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Photograph

er: Robin

Dun Know Do What

Fill

ent To Block g Cem te Castin f Concre ole o H e h T

Scorching Sun....

WU

T?

!

We cleaned up most of the rubbish yesterday so that we can start to work on the founda�on today. First, the facade team and the structure team started off by working together as you need the structure first in terms to add on the facade later. Some of us mixed the cement with water and put them into hollow brick blocks to make concrete block. Others marked out where to dig holes for the concrete blocks as the founda�on of the pavilion. Others made the portal frames, cut the wood, sanded them, and varnished them, to finally fix the together.

Roof Truss

Portal Frame

Floor Joists

Construc�on Day 3 Photographer: Robin

Column and Floor Beam

Floor Joists

Roof Truss

Batten

DAY 8 3

J

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e

,

M

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d

Baseco Compound

a

y

With only four days remaining, we must start to work harder and faster on construc�ng the portals. All hands are in a produc�on line for the portal frames where everyone specializes in doing one task. Also, since we were running short on �me, we separated into two groups of people, with the group not working on the main construc�on of the portal frames working on the basic structure of the flooring.

C

lum Co te p e cr tum on S

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The weather was so hot that we needed someone to hold umbrella Photographer: Robin

Ad

ria

n,

Bolts

Un SI UC

it rs ive

y

and N uts

Nailing Floor Joists University Zhi Hoe, UCSI

On the other hand, furniture team Photographer: Robin

The basketball court was painted with white base before blue was painted.

Photographer: Robin

No rod ? No w orries

The only day it rained

End of The Day

Construc�on Day 4 Photographer: Robin

DAY 9 4

J u n e ,

T u e s d a y

Baseco Compound

Con�nuing the process of yesterday, the structure team finished up the erec�on of all portal frames and ge�ng ready to fix the secondary structure to the roof. The facade team started working at this stage. Firstly, li�le cubes which were to be fixed to the primary structure were cut to act as the support to the secondary beams holding up the facade. Then, wood was cut according to the space between each primary frame.

Finally, ver�cal columns were added to form a “工” shape secondary structure to the primary frame.

Assembling roof truss with bolts and nuts Photographer: Robin

Assembling Ridge Board

Scorching sun, as usual...

Courtesy: Wu Han

Connec ted with steel pla te

All up!

Courtesy: Zhi Hoe

While we were working on the secondary structure, the furniture team finished several smaller furniture pieces already and the pain�ng team was also making good process.

Photographer: Robin

Assembling facade

Photographer: Robin

Meanwhile, the pain�ng team had started to work on the final colours and outlining for the courts

Photographer: Robin

Construc�on Last 2 Day Courtesy: Winkey

DAY 10 5

J u n e ,

W e d n e s d a y

Baseco Compound

Temporary Cover From Sun

Photograp

her: Robin

Nailing Timber Floor The Skillful Guys

Installing Roof

Photographer: Robin ‘Temporary Structure’

There were overall three groups of people working on different things: Facade, roof and furniture. More people helping with the facade as the small furniture done were done. Meanwhile others were working on the larger pieces of furniture which were to be nailed into the main structure.

Almost there!

Photographer: Robin

We finished all of the facade, basketball court pain�ng and even plan�ng the tree inside the building before we le� Baseco. The larger furniture was done too but it was too late to nail it to the structure, so we decided to postpone it to tomorrow morning.

We all went back to our hotels, got our deserved rest and got ready for the big day tomorrow.

o~ Small Bambo

Best B eef No odle

And Po rridge

of The Town!

Construc�on Last Day + Back To MY Courtesy: Wu Han

DAY 11 6

J

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T

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s

Baseco Compound

d

a

y

Finally, we had come to the end of the whole project. Our final act for the prototype is to nail the large furniture pieces onto the structure. This not only provides extra support to the structure, but also prevents people from stealing them.

Now that our prototype is done, we invited the community to come and have a look. It was an opportunity for the Kabalikat to give us feedback to our work. During the small official ceremony, the chairlady of the Barangay also a�ended. It turned out that they were sa�sfied with our work and the pavilion.

Time

Flies~

1:10 Draw ings,

UCSI Team!!

construc tion sket ches

and deta ils

ing n P Zhi Hoe

Hua

g Winkey Eka

Ziqin

James Lim

Adrian

Me Yee Jer

Javee

Kristal

Sus

an

Penny

Jessie

Timothy

Kenny

Javee

Eka

Noah

Sally

Jae

Christine Huan Ping

Noah

Mei

Vivien

Well, that’s all about my architecture trip in Manila, Philippines doing construc�on work. Most of the �me I just wandering around site; designing structure, buying materials, erec�ng the structure and having FUN! This was my first �me taking part in community project in overseas, construc�on work lagi, hard and exhaus�ng, yet GREAT and EXCITING! Hopefully I can meet up friends from CUHK and the local communi�es of Baseco~

BYE~