AMPLIFYING EMPATHY THROUGH DESIGN

I ONCE CAME ACROSS THESE REMARKABLE WORDS BY DR. PRABHJOT

SINGH THAT SAYS "WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME DESIGNING THE BRIDGE BUT
NOT ENOUGH TIME THINKING ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE CROSSING IT."

BARONG TANGLAW: AN ECO-COMMUNITY FOR THE BAJAU MIGRANTS

:Barong came from the word “barung-barong”, meaning a small
primitive dwelling constructed by hand using scavenged leftover
material. This is commonly known as low-class housing which often
signifies poverty. I want to change this kind of conception of barung-
barong and turn it into an inspiration, to make it “a light that gives
hope”. “Barong tanglaw” indicates a new beginning for our badjao
migrants. A low-cost sustainable housing that caters to the needs
of homeless badjao migrants.

The Badjao Diaspora (dispersion of people from their original

homeland) has brought them to all corners of the Philippines, far from
their historical habitat.The largest people group are the Badjao people
with an estimated population of 400,000. They are one of the affected
people from the 100,000 population who were displaced because of
forced relocation and armed conflict in mindanao. Lack of education
and skills needed to land jobs or run businesses has forced many
Badjao to become beggars and have become an “awfully marginalized
people,”

Local government units respond differently to the presence of Badjao.

Iloilo City – a highly urbanized city of almost half a million residents –
has adopted a policy of exclusion. The “clearing out” of the Badjao
from Iloilo City reflects the LGU’s position that not only are the Badjao
violating the local anti-mendicancy ordinance with their “disgusting”
begging, their unhygienic ways compromise public health and
sanitation.
Countless challenges await these migrants, namely homelessness and a
complicated land-based assimilation into a foreign community. Local
governments are not equipped with the cultural know-how to assist in the
integration process and are often indifferent altogether.

My design seeks for the Badjao migrants to be provided with housing and
opportunities to be able to lead a life of their own. The inspiration of this
design is to help marginalized people, specifically badjaos, to live a more
comfortable life which is far from harm and discriminations.

How can we expect a marginalized group to sustain the momentum

necessary to grow their own capacities and live peacefully if they are
constantly dealing with turmoil, insecurity and public indifference?

One of the greatest feature of this design solution is that the natural sea-
farer people are finally wanting and welcoming change, from their historical
houseboats they are finally looking for a more settled life, that doesn’t have
to be in bodies of water as they were in the past but away from the streets
and unsafe places as they presently are. Because of this, it is a go-signal
that they badly need and just don't have the means to settle for a
permanent home.

SITE LOCATION

The site is located in Alasas, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.

About 29,000 sqm of Agricultural land. We have a road network that
is inaccessible to Alasas Road and San Isidro Road. Also the site is
near some medical center, schools, and markets wherein they can
easily trade their harvested goods and handicraft products to
people.

SITE SELECTION
Why Pampanga? Pampanga is considered a “Promised Land” for the
Badjao people for they are treated kindly, and the LGU conducts
projects to help them. With such a welcoming society, the eco-
community can easily give a feel of “safe haven” for the tribe. The site
is also chosen based on the visible growth of Badjao families'
population circulating in many parts of Pampanga and Bulacan. The
Pampanga is also the focal point that is surrounded by all provinces
in Central Luzon which makes it the most efficient and accessible
place for relocation of homeless badjao families.

The important features of my design Barong Tanglaw: an eco-

community for the bajau migrants are its facilities and how it was
designed. A low-cost, sustainable, and disaster responsive housing
units; A community hall that encourages their settlement and boosts
the feeling of togetherness of the group; A Multi-purpose hall that
would cater to their traditional practices and encourage them to relive
their culture; An Arts and Crafts and Livelihood Area to help and
educate the people of the possible ways to earn a living and lead a
better life; lastly, Recreational Areas wherein they could try out
different ways for enjoyment like sports, games, or any other
entertaining events that boosts the feeling of belonging in the place,
and also encourages them for interaction, which results to an easier
way of adjusting in a new environment.

ROOTS OF OUR VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

The Sama Bajau is an Austronesian ethnic group of maritime
southeast asia, and this is our own roots too as Filipinos. Therefore,
there is a great and higher connection with their traditional dwellings
and with our Vernacular architecture. Combining all these
characters together formed the design of the Barong Tanglaw: Eco-
community.

HOUSING UNITS
The inspiration of the Housing units are:
The 2 types of Badjao Dwellings which are the VINTA
HOUSEBOAT and STILT HOUSES:

-(STILT HOUSE)
Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding. The
shady space under the house can be used for work or storage.

-(VINTA HOUSE BOAT)

Integrates mixed use of space : combination of living area, working
area and sleeping area.

And adding our (ISNEG HOUSE BINURON ):

From Apayao: which has a creative roofing system using section
bamboo

And lastly is our (TRADITIONAL BAHAY KUBO)

Which characterizes the use of breathable,SLATTED raised floors,
AND INTRICATE WALL PATTERNS

FLOOR PLANS

Ground floor is designed to be an open space, a well-ventilated

living area with no walls, thus creating an illusion of a wider space
while immersing them in nature through natural aesthetics.
This is a great advantage to reduce the airborne and surface
contaminant brought by some viruses

The second floor is designed as multi-functional space.

These spaces are designed depending on the needs of the users.
The idea of papag in bahay kubo is that the space is commonly
used for lounging in the morning and sleeping at night, 2 bedroom
and papag can be converted as a sleeping quarter, which will be
helpful for large badjao families.
At the same time, one bedroom can be converted into an isolation
area in case a member of the family got sick.

LOW IMPACT HOUSING for the carbon footprint of the whole eco-
community is only about 30% of the site.

AVAILABILITY OF MATERIALS
The materials used are natural materials and are available within
the province making the eco-community low maintenance and easy
to renovate and improve.

Badjaos are natural builders and are capable to alter, maintain, and
improve their own housing units as they have the manpower to do
so.

ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY

The use of Photovoltaic Electricity as an energy source and
Rainwater harvesters as a water source

UNIQUENESS (Nippon paint)

The housing units are identical in design yet they can establish
uniqueness among their units by painting their wall shading which is
the frontage of the unit, thus also marking the space as “theirs” to
create a sense of belonging.

The set of color schemes represents the natural colors of the earth. It signifies
hope, life, and creation which is a vital element of our concept of "Barong
tanglaw”.
SUSTAINABILITY
Sustainable development plays an essential role in terms of the
overall design of a specific structure.

Since Pampanga has established more than 14 500 hectares of

bamboo plantation in central Luzon, it would be smart to take into
consideration the availability of the materials particular to the site
location and take advantage of it.

Bamboo is a great thing to choose as a material because:

● Bamboo is characterized as a renewable and an energy-
efficient natural resource.
● It is an environmentally sustainable building material.
● Bamboo can be used as an alternative material in
reinforcement of concrete.

ROOFING

BAMBOO is very visible in the design of the housing unit as it can

be seen on the following: Halve Bamboo Roof wherein bamboo
poles split into halves and placed in interlocking sequence which is
a traditional roofing technique for a smooth and leakless flow of
water wherein it serves as a rain gutter roof; Bamboo Framing that
promotes structural ability by using the strength of bamboo poles;
Bamboo Cane Wall which is a unique wall divided into 8 vertical
level creating a slanted designed wall; Elevated Bamboo Flooring
which is breathable bamboo floors that allows natural air to pass
through the structure.
The layer of roofing are composed of the following from the
outermost part to the innermost layer starting from the Halve
Bamboo Roof followed by the Bamboo Framing followed by the
PVC Stretch Ceiling and lastly is the central roofing Multiwall
Carbonated Flat Roof.

Other Features of the Housing unit is its PVC Stretch Ceiling which
is a sustainable and environmental-friendly ceiling that helps clean
indoor air pollution; Multiwall Carbonated Flat Roof which is fully
recyclable sheet with high thermal insulation properties that helps in
keeping the heat inside the units; Wooden Frame Jalousie Window
is a window vent that helps to naturally cool the temperature of the
housing; Capiz door which is a traditional material that is used as a
folding door designed for 2 bedrooms, also serves as door in the
“papag” entertainment area for family privacy.

DISASTER RESPONSIVE & INNOVATIVE

In case of disasters like typhoons, earthquakes, and heavy rain and

floodings. the fact that it was built out of simple and native materials
like bamboo, it can easily be repaired. With the availability of the
materials, the after-effect of such disaster can be easily mitigated.
Knowing that the Philippines have one of the most typhoons in a
year, it was purely practical to create a bamboo-like design that
would rather bend when disaster comes than break.

The housing units are slightly raised into the ground to withstand
light flooding. Thus, if severe flooding occurs and the community
needs to evacuate, the wall shading can be detached and
transformed into a “balsa” at the same time, it can be used as a
rescue boat to help their other ka-barangays to evacuate, which
depicts “Bayanihan”, a significant tradition of the Filipinos, a caring
and hospitable society.

Through empathy, I was able to understand the situation of the Sama

Bajau community and hope to extend hospitality for them on a long-
term basis. Empathy and Hospitality are positive and significant values
that we have as Filipinos.

This design created an impact as we learn that though we experience things

on a regular basis doesn't mean that it is what it should be.

Not all that is, is what it should be. The design magnifies the struggle of the
people that is likely neglected by society.

Before, the only thing I could do for them was to give them extra food
whenever I saw them in the streets or in jeepneys. Who would have thought
that through design, I would be able to create bigger dreams for them.

The design restores the value of empathy, and it reminds the world that "no
man is an island" Therefore, we should live as if we are all together in this with
care and love. We can make it happen, design makes it possible.