PHOEBE BACUNLAY

PROBLEM:
Physiological dissatisfaction in retirement homes.
CAUSE:
• Poor space planning and accessibility.
Narrow entrances and doorways are a problem with some of the current housing
designs, making wheelchair accessibility problematic. Kitchens and bathrooms are
difficult to get to because of the tiny and steep stairways. The requirements of older
persons and individuals with disabilities were not taken into account in these
apparent design flaws (Mazlan, 2021).
Furthermore, the matching of equipment, furniture, and design layout to the
particular physiological demands of the older person is one of the most important yet
often disregarded parts of the physical environment. The most visible and unsightly
design flaws are those that are based on a lack of understanding of basic
physiological needs. Some of the most common design flaws are difficult-to-use
windows, kitchen storage that necessitates back-breaking bending or a reaching
device to access, difficult-to-turn doorknobs, difficult-to-read controls, and furniture
that is difficult to enter or depart (Koncelik, 1979).
EFFECT:
• Affects the mental and physical health of the elderly.
• Prevents the elderly population from being active.
• Compromises security and safety.
Malcolm H. Morris characterized the elderly as a dependent group whose members
are unable or unwilling to work and who require economic and social care that the
younger generation is responsible for. The term "old age" refers to the time between
retirement and death. It's a time when you're losing everything, including your
children, your spouse, your friends, your career, your home, and your physical look.
Physiological functions weaken as they become older, the environment's flexibility
declines, and the demand for greater public care and love grows. Hence, it is very
critical to design and plan retirements homes that sustain their physiological needs.
RESEARCH QUESTION:
How effective would it be to redevelop retirements homes into more sustainable
buildings with proper space planning and accessibility?
ROSSEL VILLAREAL
PROBLEM:
Spatial dysfunction in New Buenavista Elem. School
CAUSE:
• Improper space/design planning of school facilities and structure
Scattered arrangement and lack of school facilities and structure are often concern of
school designs, in which hindered quick navigation for both students and teachers. According
to Earthman, et. (2004), Unmatched entrance areas, poor space planning, poor acoustics,
poor ventilation, insufficient lighting, and etc. may undermine the learning process of children.
Moreover, the student discomfort towards these factors is often neglected regardless of their
queries. Classrooms are in undesirable locations such as scattered locations for instance
the grade 1 and 2 is connected to their canteen and located separately from another
classrooms that sometimes confusing the children’s and first-time comers. It is also the same
situation in which kindergarten is connected in grade 5 and grade 6 rooms. There are no
specific indications of which way to take to reach a specific room unless you ask for a
direction.
EFFECT:
• Affects the physical health and academic performances of children.
• Arises confusions to every individual.
• It also jeopardizes the learning process of the children.
School is a place wherein student is allowed to work collaboratively towards their peers to
improve their cognitive functioning to enhance their learning process. Thus, having “poor”
school planning and deficiency in terms of school facilities will really affect their academic
performance. And according to Mark (2002), states that one cannot expect high level of
student’s academic performance where the school buildings such as classrooms, libraries,
technical workshops and laboratories are substandard. And it also supported by the study
conducted by Ajayi (2007) which he states that high level of student’s academic performance
may not be guaranteed and won’t make such conducive classrooms once the instructional
space such as classrooms are structurally defective and isn’t well located in their instructional
space.
Physical activities increase such as walking just to get to their respective classes since it takes
a while before reaching their respective class. Hence, the reason why, designing a school is
crucial since the design and space planning must adapt to the level of physical and
physiological needs of students and teachers.
Research question:
• How can the school infrastructure be redesign/redeveloped with proper spatial
arrangement in comparison to post- pandemic settings?
• Does the school’s design facilitate pedagogy and community engagement?
• How does the school building provide a safe and healthy environment considering the
world situation?
JEAN MARRICE DUNTAR
PROBLEM:
Spatial discomfort in city jails.
ARCHITECTURAL RESEARCH AREA
This research project will focus on the spatial quality in city jails. This subject has a
direct effect on the level of prison control in city jails. Addressing a comfortable physical
environment in city jails will be favorable in improving the well-being of those people
residing, working, and visiting prisons.
Statement of the Problem:
The Philippines is currently facing a humanitarian crisis due to overcrowding in
prisons. There is a 436 percent congestion rate as of January 2018 according to the
World Atlas (Feb 2018) and it has taken a massive toll on the physical and mental
health of not only the inmates but also of the prison staff. Extreme overcrowding is one
of the most punishing aspect of life in prison which makes rehabilitation harder to
achieve. The restricted nature plus the overcrowding of prison environment is
antithetical to the setting required for inmates in need of rehabilitation and
resettlement. It is just not feasible to expect inmates to be healthy in an unhealthy
environment.
Cause:

• Restrictive spaces and overcrowding

High rates of prison overcrowding can be found in all regions of the world. In many
prison systems, detainees do not have the minimum space
requirements recommended by international standards, and in some cases
spending up to 23 hours of the day, if not all day, in overcrowded cells. Overcrowding
can be so severe that prisoners sleep in shifts, on top of each other, share beds or tie
themselves to window bars so that they can sleep while standing. In some
countries only periodic amnesties and pardons relieve overcrowding. While these
provide short-term relief, they do not offer a sustainable solution and can erode public
confidence in the criminal justice system.

Effect:
• Affects the physical and mental health of the inmates and the prison staff.
According to Lily Bernheimer, Rachel O’Brien, and Richard Barnes (2017), institutional
environments like prisons are known as ‘low control’ or ‘low choice’ spaces which are
designed to limit a person’s ability to move around the area or control their
surroundings. Situations like this can reinforce feelings of helplessness,
ineffectiveness, and abnormality which does not support the goals of a rehabilitative
environment. Institutional environments that enable choice and physical movement
hold the potential to foster more uplifting psychological states and increase the
inmate’s sense of wellbeing and self-efficacy.

There are four prison criteria which determines if a prison is healthy enough to instigate
rehabilitation; safety, respect, purposeful activity, and resettlement. This criterion
draws a line between the hard and soft regimes, the stability and reform, and security
and rehabilitation. For rehabilitation to be effective, the prison needs to be more
responsive to an individual’s needs. Rehabilitation is a process by which a person
begins to shift values, behavior, and thinking to stop committing crime. The building
design of prison can ultimately support or restrict the process of rehabilitation. It can
add value by being adaptable, reinforcing positive messages through symbolism, and
by assisting coherence. Decreasing fear and stress factors is a necessity in a healthy
prison and that of which focuses on rehabilitation. This type of prison isn’t just about
making the environment better, but also by improving the conditions for all those
inside.

VIENA ROSE PHOEBE CAPIRIG

PROBLEM:
Adverse Effect of dead spaces in Panabo City Health Office
CAUSE:
According to Umeda, dead spaces are the result of po or planning. Developers,
planners, or architects create buildings that do not flow within the existing built
environment creating pockets of space, which are devoid of human occupancy.
Conversely, dead spaces can be well planned and thought out, yet not as successful
as originally intended. To further clarify the definition, “dead space” is space within
the built environment that is devoid of social interaction between people. Dead space
can be further defined by breaking it down into three terms or categories: Interstitial
Space, Urban Cracks, and Non-places
EFFECT:
• Lack of Efficiency in work circulation
• Circulation might affect the ventilation
While city planning is essential to the protection of public health, so is the
architecture of individual buildings that comprise the built environment in the city.
Studies have shown that battered houses and neighborhoods and abandoned and
dilapidated buildings make us feel unsafe, thus evoking fear and anxiety. Could bad
buildings damage your mental health? (2016, September 16)
RESEARCH QUESTION:
How do dead spaces affect the productivity of health workers in Panabo City?

JEFF GLENN LEBRIA

Problem: Thermal Discomfort in Bus Terminal
Cause: Heat, Air Temperature, Relative Humidity, Poor Design Solution
Effect: Affect the daily commuters’ comfortability, reduce the performance, and
cause stress to the commuters.