RESEARCH REPORT

‘NATURAL & BUILT ENVIRONMENT ’

PUP+CAFA+DEPARTMENTOFARHITECTURE

PREPARED AND SUBMITTED BY:

LIMOSNERO, Aldrin C. – 201334567‐Leader
ANTIDO, Princess Joy I. – 2009-03969-MN-0
GLINO, Jomar P. – 2009-00853-MN-0
REDULA, Francisco M. – 2009-01233-MN-0
TIONGSON, Cindy G. – 2010-07994-MN-0

SUBMITTED TO:
ARCH. RENATO VERGARA SANTOS
ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 6 ADVISER
Introduction
Our Natural & Built Environment
When contemplating the relationship between the natural and built environments,
Our community’s natural and built environments are essential components in
it is not a matter of good vs. evil, but rather a matter of identifying which of every
planning for our future.
two options is less evil than the other. The very meaning of the words ‘built’ and
 Site plan review should include consideration of a development’s impact on
‘natural’ tell you straight up that they to do not belong together. For as long as man
water resources and storm water runoff.
has been building and manipulating the planet for his own needs the natural
 Gaining a solid understanding of your community’s natural and built
environment has suffered, and only now are we beginning to see the positive effects
environment will lay the groundwork for more effective planning.
such breakthroughs in construction can provide, and even then they are not of their
 A growing number of cities and towns are using design guidelines to help
own accord.
preserve or reinforce the distinctive architectural character of certain areas
Sure you could argue that building tunnels through mountains is beneficial as it
or district.
reduces the effect you have on the whole mountain range, but is that not still doing
damage. Tunnel or road around the perimeter, the built environment is still harming
Natural environment
the environment. Of course the built environment does have its benefits, after all a
lot of endangered species are able to survive and reproduce due to manmade game
parks and zoos, but shouldn’t we consider the fact that those animals would not be  means all living and
endangered were it not for our buildings and highways pushing them out of their non-living things that
natural habitats. Are our buildings not responsible for forcing these animals into are naturally on earth
areas where they are prone to disease and other predators….  ‘Natural’ can be
Humans need buildings to survive; we need roads for transportation but let’s not described as
start to think that we are doing the earth a favor when it comes to artificial fisheries something that occurs
and tree plantations. These constructions are simply a result of our guilt, and our naturally, or of its own
poor attempt at correcting what we have already destroyed. The built environment accord, on earth.
exists entirely to benefit one species and one species only; Humans. Unfortunately  ‘Environment’ can be
we are not smart enough yet to see that fighting fire with fire does not save the described as the
forest. A tree plantation reduces carbon dioxide and ensures a natural environment surroundings of an
within the area, but the trees planted may not belong there and the animals that object.
will return to that area, whilst it will be better for them within the trees may not be
able to survive given their knew artificial home.
In the end I guess we should realize that the built environment will eventually
replace the natural environment and that when that happens it will not be a case of
whether or not the built environment benefits nature but whether or not it can
effectively replace it and all that it entails.
  Rocks

The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring
naturally on earth or some region thereof. The concept of the natural environment
can be distinguished by components: Complete ecological units that function as
natural systems without massive human intervention including:
 All vegetation
 Microorganisms

 Atmosphere
o Of the earth serves as a key factor in sustaining the planetary
ecosystem. The thin layer of gases that envelops the Earth is held in
place by the planet’s gravity.
o Atmospheric layers

 Soil
 o Gases  Rainfall
 Dry air consists of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% argon and  Atmospheric particle count
other inert gases.  Numerous other meteorological elements
 Natural phenomena o Energy
o Radiation
o Electric charge
o Magnetism
 Ecosystem

 Physical phenomena
o Air
o Water
 Oceans
 Rivers
 Streams o Also called as environment
 Lakes o Is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and micro-organism
 ponds (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all of the non-
o Climate living physical (abiotic) factors of the environment.
 Temperature
 Humidity
 Atmospheric pressure
 Wind
Built Environment o Infrastructures

 Refers to the human-made surrounding that provide the ff:

o Setting for human activity

o Water supply

o Ranging in scale from buildings

o Energy networks
o Parks
o Green spaces
  Is a material, spatial, and cultural product of human labor that combines types of environment can be damaged by external factors such as air pollution. In a
physical elements and energy forms for: natural environment, all living species interact. Many ecological units, for example
o Living vegetation, soil or atmosphere, function without us humans intervening. Some
natural resources and physical phenomena, such as air, water, climate, energy, or
o Working
magnetism, which are not produced by human activity, also define a natural
o Playing environment. However, no environment is 100 percent natural. Aspects such a
 “the human-made space in which people live, work and recreate on a day- climate and weather influence natural environments intensely. Changes in the
to-day basis” atmosphere caused by human activity affect weather conditions and, in the long
 Currently built environments are typically used to describe the run, also our climate. Restrictions on the emission of so-called greenhouse gases, for
interdisciplinary field that addresses the: example carbon dioxide, are only the first steps in mitigating the effects of
progressing climate change. In contrast to our natural environment, we humans also
o Design
live in a built environment. Strictly speaking, built environment includes anything
 Health and wellness from man-made buildings to infrastructure. It is also defined as the materially,
o Construction spatially and culturally produced surroundings made by men and intended for
 Neighborhoods human life, work and play. Built environment is connected to several disciplines like
o Management economics, law, management, design or environmental sustainability. The term
 Community landscape architecture is used for areas that are built by men but give the
impression of being natural environments, for instance parks. The aim of landscape
 Physical activity
architecture is to achieve an aesthetic, environmental or social-behavioral result.
 Mental health Landscape architecture involves investigating social, ecological and geological
o And use of these man-made surroundings aspects of landscapes. Another term connected to build environment is urban
planning: It controls the use of land and settlement, and is concerned with the
Natural vs. Built environment design of cities and their transportation networks. The movement of urban planning
was initiated in the industrial age and was intended to orderly plan cities. In later
times, urban renewal has become more popular: It includes the adaptation of
existing cities to new conditions. Damages in our natural and built environments,
which are caused by factors such as climate change, air or water pollution, can be
overcome by sustainable development. The extensive use of natural resources as
well as the pollution and destruction of ecosystems has given to rise to city planning
with an ideal outcome for both humans and ecological systems.

Humans generally have a built environment in comparison to their natural

environment. In the context of climate change, both terms are relevant since both
Direct Effects
Land development affects the environment in two primary ways. First, development
uses land and modifies habitats and ecosystems. The extent of land development,
the type of development, and the location of infrastructure have direct and long-
lasting implications for ecosystems. By interrupting feeding, dispersal, and breeding
patterns, even a single roadway that cuts through wilderness can affect the
population and diversity of species across a wide area.
Second, development can have significant implications for water quality as
buildings, parking lots, roads, and other impervious surfaces alter the natural flow
of water within a watershed. The amount of impervious surface as a percentage of
land area in a watershed and the location of infrastructure in relation to specific
natural resources can be correlated to the health of an area’s streams, river, lakes,
and estuaries.
These direct effects are relatively well understood and documented, and efforts to
preserve wetlands and habitat of endangered species are common. Still, the
implications for biodiversity, ecosystems, and water systems are often site-specific
and are not universally recognized in community design and planning.
Indirect Effects
Indirect effects of residential and commercial development include the distribution
of employment opportunities. In addition, the transportation options available to
link residential and commercial locations influence household travel behavior,
including trip frequency, trip lengths, and mode of choice. Vehicle travel, in turn,
generates air pollutant emissions, greenhouse gas emissions, and noise.
The effects of urban form on travel behavior are less well understood than the
direct effects of development, and the magnitude of those impacts is widely
debated. Travel behavior is complex, with various factors simultaneously affecting
decisions about how much, where, when, and how to travel. Still, significant
evidence exists that urban design does affect travel behavior. As a result, there is
increasing interest in using land use planning to address transportation, air quality,
and greenhouse gas problems.
Our Built and Natural Environments presents findings from researchers,
academicians, policy analysts, and others as to how, where, and to what degree
development practices and patterns directly and indirectly affect environmental
quality.
How Construction and the Built Environment can both Benefit and Harm the
Natural
In these days of ever-expanding suburban sprawl, it might seem that construction
would only harm the natural environment. However, as usual, there is another side
to the story. While it is true that a large warehouse-type structure or paved parking
lot, by its sheer extent of coverage of what was once the habitat of plants and
animals, is probably more harmful than beneficial, this is one extreme on the
spectrum of construction types.
One of the most basic types of beneficial construction is that which is built to
mitigate the harmful effects of another construction. For example, by tunneling
through a mountainside, a highway avoids the need to rearrange the natural
topography. Delicate mountain plants that grow on rock faces can continue to grow
right up to the edge of the tunnel, instead of losing precious habitat to grading and
paving. Similarly, elevated highways in mountainous terrain allow for the safe
movement of wildlife beneath them, rather than subjecting them to the risks of
crossing over the highway.
One of the more common types of construction specifically for the benefit of the
environment is the building of artificial reefs. Reefs are important feeding and/or
spawning grounds for certain fishes and other marine wildlife, and artificial reefs
allow some of these to expand into areas where they otherwise could not have
lived. In some areas, offshore oil rigs have had the same effect.
The case of the bluebird gives an example of similar nature. Bluebirds are a fired power plant not only releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, but its
grassland species, but nest in hollow trees. Obviously, hollow trees are much harder complex of buildings is even less amenable to wildlife habitat than the wind farm.
to come by on grassland than in the woods. But many conservation-minded people Seen in this light, the wind farm, even with its problems, is still the better
in bluebird country now maintain “bluebird trails” – that is, a string of nest boxes, alternative.
often mounted on fence-posts in the open grassland. This provides many more
nesting locations than the bluebirds could ever find if they had to rely solely on
hollow trees. Another example is the chimney swift. Originally, it, too, most likely
nested in hollow trees; but with the clearing of forest land for agriculture, there
soon were not enough such trees left. Fortunately, the trees were replaced by
chimneys, which served the bird’s purposes nicely, and nowadays, the chimney swift
is believed to nest solely in chimneys and similar built structures, having abandoned
hollow trees entirely.

More often, the beneficial effects of construction are incidental, and may occur only
after the harmful effects. One example of this would be underground mines. Tailings
build up around the mine entrance, burying soils and vegetation, and depending on
their mineral content, possibly leaching toxic substances into the groundwater. But
after the mine is played out, the abandoned mine-shafts may become homes for
bats or other cave-roosting wildlife. For safety, the entrance may be bared to keep
out curious humans, while still allowing bats free passage in and out.

A similar case is the open-pit quarry. While the rock is being mined, this
construction is harmful, in that it strips away vegetation, alters topography and soil
structure, and may contribute to sedimentation of nearby streams. But once
quarrying has ceased, depending on the water table, some old quarries fill with
water and can become ponds or lakes where there was no pond or lake before.

Generally speaking, any construction must be considered in context. Take, for

example, wind farms. Acres and acres of spinning windmills generate electricity in
some regions. Some people have criticized these as being a hazard to birds, which
may be killed by the spinning blades; and also as using up land that would otherwise
be valuable habitat for other wildlife. But when the wind farm is considered in
context, a different picture emerges. Suppose, instead of wind power, the city used
a coal-fired power plant. This is still the most common type of power plant. A coal-
II. CASE STUDY
 BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Taguig, Philippines Metro Manila, Philippines

Ortigas City, Philippines Muntinlupa, Philippines

 NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

LUZON

Baguio City, Philippines

Pagsanjan, Philippines
Mt. Mayon, Philippines Vigan, Philippines

Taal Volcano, Philippines Luneta Park, Philippines

Banaue, Philippines Bangui, Philippines

 VISAYAS

Aklan, Philippines

Palawan, Philippines Francisco Dagohoy cave, Philippines

Coron, Philippines
Panglao, Philippines

Bohol, Philippines
 MINDANAO

Surigao del Norte, Philippines Dapitan City, Philippines

Davao del Norte, Philippines Surigao del sur, Philippines Camuigin, Philippines
III. SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATION
Summary
Natural Environment refers to everything that exists naturally. It includes
vegetation, microorganisms, soil, rock, and the earth’s atmosphere. Phenomenas,
both physical and natural, are also included in the natural environment. In contrast,
the term Built Environment refers to artificial environment or those that are made
by mankind. This includes buildings, parks, infrastructures, etc.
A Built Environment can have both direct and indirect effects on the natural
environment. Built environment may affect the feeding, dispersal, and breeding
patterns, even a single roadway that cuts through wilderness can affect the
population and diversity of species across a wide area. It can also have significant
implications for water quality as buildings, parking lots, roads, and other impervious
surfaces alter the natural flow of water within a watershed. These are the direct
effects of a built environment to a natural ecosystem.
Indirect effects of residential and commercial development include the distribution
of employment opportunities and travel behaviour.
Construction and land development can also be beneficiary to nature. An example
of this is the building of artificial reefs which is a feeding ground of different fishes
and other marine lifes.
Conclusion
Natural and Built Environment have their differences and similarities. Both differ in
technical terms because natural environment pertains to the environment that is
being untouched by human. On the other hand, most people refer to the built
environment as everything around us that is man-made. Both types of environment
are intended to suffice the needs of all living and non living things that exist on
earth. Both environments can be damaged by external factors such as pollutiion and
climate change.
Helpful examples of built environments can include walking trails, greenways,
baseball and soccer fields, outdoor exercise facilities, public parks, street lights,
designated bike lanes, community gardens, safe crosswalks at busy intersections,
and maintained sidewalk systems that encourage walking, exercise, connectivity and
social interaction.
The developmet of lands and other construction could also be beneficial and
harmful to our natural environment. Land development could damage the diversity
of species across a wild area.
Recommendation
We cannot deny that only humans would benefit on the built environment (Land
development). The natural environment and built environment should be balanced.
By doing so, damages would be lessened and there will be more advantages. It is
visible that our natural environment is in extreme risk because of the construction
detonation in our country. Trees were being cut down and replaced with concrete
structures. Natural ecosystems were being jeopardized.
Improving our built environment is not just about designing new things like trails,
greenways and parks. These are means to return to a better way of life and to
connect to a very distinct way of life for our country.
It’s how we’re connected to our family, friends, neighbors, church members, work,
schools and the great outdoors. These are things that are good for our health from
being around the people and places we love to being active and doing the things
that get our hearts pumping. It’s less about what our communities look like and
more about what we are able to do in them: how we get together with members of
our faith communities, how we talk to our neighbors in the evenings, how we pass
the time with our families on the weekends, how we take our children to school and
playgrounds, and how we travel to work day in and day out. These are all parts of
our built environment. And we have the opportunity to shape it.