A PROPOSED HIGH-END HIGH-RISE CONDOTEL

A STUDY ON DESIGNING A HEALING ENVIRONMENT THROUGH ANALYZING ‘THE HIERARCHY OF

NEEDS’

Conceptual Analysis

a.) Evolution of Forms and Shapes

b.) Personal Concepts and Philosophy
a. Personal Concepts
Research has proved that city residents have a higher possibility to
suffer from mental health issues, for instance, stress, anxiety, and depression.
The environment itself can be a source of all these issues - pollution, lighting,
noise, and poor living conditions which may result to an alarming critical effect
such as, death. Thus, the proponents made use of these problems as a
consideration in designing a healing environment. The overall concept of the
proponents is through gaining deeper knowledge of Abraham Maslow’s concept
‘The Hierarchy of Needs’ to create a design that will give individuals motivation
and a healthier community.

i. The Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s concept is a theory that is made up of a five-tier model of

human needs. This invite the proponents to acknowledge the health and well-
being of the target users regardless of age, gender, socioeconomic class and
culture as a primary consideration towards designing a healing development.
Therefore, with the help of these concept the proponents can create a better
design for a healing place that can contribute to their health, performance and
experience.

ii. Psychological Needs

One of the first basic needs for human survival is their psychological
needs which means the biological requirement of humans such its dwelling
and equipment. Thus, as designers the project will be planned as a lively,
stress-free and reliable environment. This offers a chance for the users to
function optimally in their daily lives.
iii. Safety Needs

Secondly, no matter how high the risk resistance of the people, they still
crave the feeling of safety and protection in life. In connection to users
experiencing mental health issues, this next concept utilizes knowledge of
proper urban planning and space placing. This proposal will then guarantee an
improved worker performance, quality of space and environment and
incorporate a landmark representing the idea of ‘city in a garden’.
iv. Love and Belonging

Achieving for a sociable community is one important factor in designing

for a healing community. When people meet, see or greet their neighbors and
friends or even strangers, they tend to feel a stronger sense of place or
attachment to their community. Thus, this concept is to offer a walkable
surrounding that will bring opportunity to social interaction and a sense of
‘belonging’ to the users. This allows to create a healthy community that tells a
story and share memories of how friends, family, acquaintances or strangers
close to each other through common spaces.

v. Esteem
Once a person has satisfactorily met their need for love and belonging,
they can start to produce positive feelings of self-worth and self-esteem.
Maslow indicated that the need for respect or reputation is most
important for children and adolescents. People who can satisfy the esteem
needs by achieving good self-esteem and the recognition of others tend to
feel confident in their abilities. Therefore, this concept will utilize natural
elements for the project to function as a place to develop and increase
self-esteem. This will then, create a unique space that will push the users
mind to promote health instead of illness and cure instead of cause.
vi. Self-Actualization
Lastly, Maslow emphasized the importance of self-actualization, which
is a process of growing and developing as a person in order to achieve
individual potential. And with office workers devoting most of their waking
hours inside the office, the value of creating a balance between the inside
and outside world is critical for the needs of a modern workforce. The
proponents will apply a design that will cater communal open spaces
possible for users to develop their bodies and mental abilities. Because
having something to do gives people a reason to come and return to a
place; to engage themselves to different activities. This design maximizes
the productivity of the workers giving them focus and motivation in work
while improving their well-being.
c.) PHILOSOPHY
”If you understand how people’s brains and minds develop and function in different
situations, and how they evolved over time to respond to physical environments, then
environments designed to support these capabilities as well as tasks, activities and user
needs, will contribute to people’s quality life, life creativity and survival’ – Ziesel, J.

Designing a High-Rise High-End Condotel to the public doesn’t guarantee a safe and
healthy community. Therefore, the proponents face a challenge to design an environment that
will have a process that requires understanding and collaboration to reflect and celebrate
human values. Also, this means that designing for this project has a mandate to sense, to
nurture, to create and to adapt our living environment to the ever changing society, economy
and climate.
The said philosophy will serve as a guide that will help the proponents in imagining the
overall project. A goal to design a development through applying the idea of ‘The Hierarchy of
Needs’. Through this study, the proponents would be able to have a deeper knowledge about
how we can motivate each individual, giving this as a tool for the designers to contribute in
giving these users a quality healing environment while living, working, and a resistance from
death.
a. Schematic Solutions and Sketches
A condotel is visualized to imply a condominium with hotel units with facilities. It is
believed to be more practical and a comparatively hassle-free way of earning from real estate
assets. Knowing that the site is located in the Central Business District, it is bound to be
surrounded by different high/multi-storey buildings such as modern malls, offices, hotels,
apartments, banks etc. Therefore, this is the busiest part of the city. The CBD can be easily
identified when it is high in traffic, pedestrian flows during rush-hours and it lack open spaces.

As designers, pedestrian safety and user mental health experience should always be the
priority. Hence, the proponents have decided to design a high-end high-rise condotel that will
flourish the efficiency of land use and guarantee an improved worker performance, quality of
space and environment and incorporate a landmark representing the idea of ‘city in a garden’.
The following will be the design strategies of the proponents.

1. Continuous Circulation
a. The circulation is made to be continuous so that visitors is not confused or
disorientated. The building will not only blend in with its immediate context, but
also created a network of combined pedestrian circuits that encourage flow
between the existing and the newly regenerated parts of the city
2. Symbiotic Mutualism
a. The zoning of the different spaces is arranged to provide benefits to one another,
not to interfere one another.
3. Promoting Healthy Living
a. A lack of exercise can lead to problems such as diabetes, heart disease and serious
mental health problems such as stress. Therefore, these problem needs to be
addressed and dealt with. Public open spaces will be provided to contribute to a
better health by encouraging individuals to walk more, be active or simply spend
more leisure time outside.
4. Provide a series of experiences
a. More experiences attract more people
5. User Safety and Walkability
a. In planning, the proponents should always consider pedestrian safety. In order to
promote safety, wide sidewalks (min. 5 mts) and sufficient lights will be applied. The
sidewalks will be wide enough to focusing on the pedestrian movements along the
building giving users a feeling of safety and visibility. Neighborhood walkability
promotes physical activity and health, opportunities to meet and greet among
residents, and to build up trust in the neighborhood.
6. Work Space
a. High ceilings are helpful to reduce the feeling of pressure or possible claustrophobia.
Rooms need to be large enough to give a feeling of space: tiny interview rooms may
even be dangerous pressure-cookers. Also, should not twist in ways that mean people
cannot be seen: there have been incidents of violence and abuse because of a lack of
safe observable space.
7. For Therapy
a. Group therapy rooms should be large enough to be multi- purpose: often it seems
planners only think people will want to sit down in a circle. People with mental
health problems need space to pace, move and not feel too shut in.
b. A garden: nature offers quiet healing to troubled souls.
8. Presence of Water.
a. It enhances your engagement in the space, if you can see, hear, and–especially–touch
water. Moving water creates negative ionization, which is a mild physiological
stimulant. Therefore, the proponents will provide water features in order to enhance
user productivity and experience.
9. Lighting
a. Natural light is important to keep gloom down and feelings up. With this, the
structure should provide the users the perimeter space adjacent to windows. Also,
skylight will be considered to accomplish a sustainable building.
b. Today, office lighting have constant intensity in all spaces which increases the stress
hormones so the solution will be to provide different light intensities in every space
to emphasize its use and to inspire workers.
Goals:

 To develop a building that supports social connectivity, public safety and pedestrian accessibility
that connects users to nature.
 To consider a sustainable building that will create a livable community that will help reduce
energy consumption
 To provide a public amenity for residents and consumers and an integrated sustainable
workspace for the client’s associates.
b. Objectives
 To develop a building that supports social connectivity, public safety and pedestrian
 To design a building that will adopt passive design strategies through maximizing the use of
environment friendly and local materials.
 To establish a world-class and therapeutic public greenery skywards that help conserve our
natural heritage, giving our local ecosystem a change to grow and restore.

Design Considerations:

Functionality – A building can be truly functional when it prioritizes user comfort. Including communal
spaces to the building will provide additional facilities for user to enjoy, socialize and relax.

Aesthetics – For the building to be effective, the building’s design should have a strong aesthetic
appeal so that users will be encouraged to spend time in them.

User-Friendly – By providing communal spaces such as playgrounds, walking tracks, community center
or a courtyard invite users to interact with one another which embodies biodiversity and reduces
racism and inequality.

Access Points – Implementing multiple access points for users create both public and private shared
spaces that will encourage activity throughout the site.

Sustainability - To improve energy efficiency and air quality, utilize sustainable principals of passive
solar, natural ventilation and solar orientation. Methods like Creative Air Filtration will be considered
to the building.

Accessibility – Universal accessibility design principles will be applied to ensure convenience and
comfort for both customers and residents.
 Major Road

SITE ANALYSIS

The site is a corner lot located near the central

business district of the city with an area of 24,407
sq.m, its frontage is bounded on the north-west by
a two-way six-lane major highway. At the east
side is bounded by a two-way four-lane minor
road. The south-west is bounded by an adjacent
Minor
Road commercial development.

- Site
- Less Dense Traffic
- Dense Traffic
- Sun Path
- Wind

Commercial Building
Major Road

With the site shown, the building will be

oriented that can provide natural light and
shade to the users. Also, The development
will be shaped according to the wind
direction so that users will use less energy.
Minor
Road

Commercial Building