Professional Documents
Culture Documents
PHILIPPINES1
by Josefina Santos de Asis2
ABSTRACT
1
Research Paper chosen as Finalist for Best Faculty Research, Research and Development
Office, Technological Institute of the Philippines
2
Graduate Student, Master of Architecture, Major in Housing, College of Architecture,
University of the Philippines, Diliman; and
Faculty, Department of Architecture and Drafting Technology, Technological Institute of the
Philippines
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Container Housing
The next aspect that needs consideration is the local context or the
setting on which the study is based. Because architectural solutions
are not meant simply to be solution drawn on paper but actual
structures located in a specific site and used by actual human beings, it
is important to identify and understand this intended site and users.
The study was then conducted with the view that while there is a
possibility that Container Housing may be a solution to the housing
needs of the urban poor in some countries, whether or not the same
solution is feasible for the Philippine setting, needs to be verified.
2.0 METHODOLOGY
On the initial stages of the study, the researcher identified that the
intended housing typology to be studied is Medium-Rise Housing
(MRH). The researcher then proceeded to identify the various
parameters on which the conventional MRH and it equivalent Container
Housing be subjected to. These parameters are as follows:
a. Engineering Details
structural stability
incorporation of utilities (i.e. electricity, water
supply, waste management, etc.)
response of raw material to some natural disasters
(e.g. typhoon, floods, earthquake, etc.)
b. Thermal Comfort
insulation methods
alterations needed to make it more responsive in
terms of natural ventilation
c. Alteration Issues
methods and tools needed in making alterations
From data gathered from these sources, the researcher then created a
conceptual container housing unit and building, similar to the
conventional MRH of NHA. This conceptual unit, together with the
conventional unit, is then analyzed based on the parameters defined to
gauge the performance of the conceptual unit.
The project started out with one complex of live/work studio apartments.
The original plan was for a 3-storey building made up of recycled
shipping containers to house 12 work studios. Shortly after it was
finished in May 2001 (5 months of construction), a 4 th floor was added
to the building.
The Riverside Building (Figure 4), overlooking the Thames and near the
Container City, houses 22 offices. It is made up of 73 recycled
shipping containers and took 8 days to construct.
Cove Park Artist’s Retreat (Figure 5), on the other hand, is set on 50
acres of Scottish countryside. The project started out with 3 recycled
shipping containers but due to the popularity of the center, more units
have been added afterwards.
STUDENT HOUSING PROJECT, Keetwonen, Amsterdam
This project started when Mark E. Strauss, the principal and director of
planning for Fox and Fowle Architects entered this piece for the
national design competition sponsored by the Boston Society of
Architects.
The team chose a 18.6 acre site located in central Gloucester and
used about 3,000 units of 40’x8’x9.5’ containers, stacked 8 high, to
create 351 duplex loft-housing made up of 4 containers each,
commercial spaces (including a hotel), civic/cultural space, and at-
grade and below-grade parking.
Figure 8. Gloucester Green
This MRH is made up of ten 5-story building with units whose floor area
varies from 22.50 sqm. (5.00 m. x 4.50 m) to 24.00 sqm. (4.00 m. x
6.00 m.). Units are offered to low-income families who have
successfully submitted the requirements to the NHA office and have
passed the financial screening test.
As a core housing project, units are sold with minimal finishes. While
the exterior have been painted, the unit’s interior is left unpainted (i.e.
plastered cement finish). The kitchen countertop as well as the floor
and walls (i.e. 1.20 m. high) of the T & B are finished with ceramic tiles.
As of May 31, 2004, the cheapest unit is priced Php 227, 000.00. This
is a 22.50 sqm. unit located on the 5 th floor. A ground floor corner unit
with a floor area of 24.00 sqm., on the other hand, is the most
expensive unit, priced at Php 469, 350.00. However in the flyer for the
most recently finished NHA MRH project in Camarin, Caloocan, these
units are priced at Php 275,000.00 and Php 475,000.00, respectively.
Using the unit size and layout of the conventional MRH unit (i.e. 4.00 m x
6.00 m) as shown on Figure 11, the conceptual/prototype container
housing unit may be constructed out of 2 units of 20’ container (Figure
12). Each container has an external dimension of 20’ x 8’ and an
internal dimension of 19’2” x 7’6”. Translating these dimensions to the
metric system, the conceptual container housing unit will have an
approximate internal dimension of 5.55 m x 4.45 m.
Figure 11. Plan of 24 sqm NHA MRH unit Figure 12. Equivalent Container Unit
1. Engineering Details
CONVENTIONAL CONCEPTUAL
MEDIUM-RISE CONTAINER
HOUSING UNIT HOUSING UNIT
may be stacked up
9 livable stories
FLOOR LEVEL 5 stories high
usually stacked 4 o
stories high
performs well in hu
and earthquake-pro
areas
RESPONSE TO designed for harsh
NATURAL environments or
DISASTERS circumstances brou
sea voyage
does not respond w
with ground moistu
hence the need to b
elevated
2. Thermal Comfort
CONVENTIONAL CONCEPTUAL
MEDIUM-RISE CONTAINER
HOUSING UNIT HOUSING UNIT
requires insulation
foreign contractors
(Tampa Armature W
sprays Supertherm
Insulative Coating t
handle heating & co
INSULATION no insulation
for local contractors
METHODS required/applied
Cubes Inc. used do
walls with fiberglas
insulation while the
container apartmen
Ortigas used doubl
with foam insulation
3. Alteration Issues
CONVENTIONAL CONCEPTUAL
MEDIUM-RISE CONTAINER
HOUSING UNIT HOUSING UNIT
pre-cutting or initial
alteration of units m
done in factory for a
faster & cheaper op
(mass production)
if on site, oxy-acety
welding / cutting ar
ODD Cubes Inc. pr
each cut at Php10,
CONVENTIONAL CONCEPTUAL
MEDIUM-RISE CONTAINER
HOUSING UNIT HOUSING UNIT
as of May 31,
2004, 24 sqm.
corner units are
priced at Php
ODD Cubes Inc. se
280,350.00 to
livable unit for
Php 469,350.00,
Php360,000
depending on the
For on-site constru
floor on which the
Mr. Alfonso bought
unit is located
Class C containers
Assuming a
Php39,000 each. T
construction cost
the 2-20’ containers
of Php 10,000.00
needed for the
per sqm., the
conceptual unit wou
estimated
cost Php78,000
construction cost
As priced by ODD C
of the said unit
Inc., each fenestrat
would be Php
the unit cost Php10
240,000.
Thus, the conceptu
Taking the 5th
with 4 windows & 2
floor unit as an
would have an add
example, a
expense of Php60,
difference of Php
Considering the sa
40,350 between
amount needed for
the assumed
construction of com
construction cost
areas servicing the
and the unit cost
(i.e. Php 40,350), th
may be
would leave Php
considered as the
102,000.00 - Php
amount added on
291,000.00 for othe
the unit to cover
alterations needed
the construction
double walls, utilitie
costs of the
insulation, finishes,
common areas
servicing the unit
(e.g. stairs,
hallways,
parking, etc.)
Table 4. Comparison (Tentative Construction Cost)
Upon summarizing the results from the preceding tables, the study
arrived at the following findings.
REFERENCES
Angelo, W.J. (2003). Shipping Containers Show Promise for Living Space.
Engineering News-Record. http://enr.construction.com.
Evans, J. (2009). What to Look for When Buying a House: Home Buyer
Checklist and House Hunting Tips. http://suite101.com.