Republic of the Philippines WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE Normal Road, Baliwasan, Zamboanga City NEW IMELDA MUNICIPAL HALL Empowering Socio-culture through Critical Regionalism Approach in a Rural Landscape A Thesis Presented to the College of Architecture, ‘Western Mindanao State University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in AR 155 Architectural Design 9 for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Architecture Submitted by: Renel A. Arconada BS Architecture V-A Ar. Jeffrey Roy D.S Wee, uap Thesis Adviser Ar. Ruby Alita A. Sabi, uap, rmp, M.ArchSci Class AdviserCHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION a. Rationale ‘The municipal government is the territorial body in charge of the municipal territory or municipality; it enjoys political, fiscal, and administrative autonomy within the limits agreed by the constitution and the decentralization laws of each country, and undeniably, the Philippines is one of those countries. Ina municipal government in the Philippines, a municipal hall is the chief administrative building of a town or municipality. It usually houses the municipal council, its associated departments, and its employees. A municipal hall is a very important building in any democratic society. It makes sure that the municipality is functioning properly. According to the Local Government Code of 1991, the municipality, consisting of a group of barangays, serves primarily as a general-purpose government to coordinate and deliver basic, regular, and direct services and effective governance of the inhabitants within its territorial jurisdiction, Municipal hall provides a place where all citizens can go and voice their opinions about the town and what they think needs to be done to improve the existing conditions. Municipal Hall is where decisions for the town are determined and it should accurately reflect the built environment (Buerkle, 2014). The local government may endeavor to use the building to promote and enhance the community's quality of life. In many cases, municipal halls serve as buildings for government functions and have facilities for various civic and cultural activities. These may include art shows, stage performances, exhibits, and festivals, Located in the eastern part of Zamboanga Sibugay, is a landlocked and mountainous town called the Municipality of Imelda. As to Imelda, a municipal hall has been put up Page 12and has stood for several decades and houses the municipal offices. Such a building is situated on a hilltop in Barangay Sta. Fe (Poblacion) which is an overlooking view of the whole town proper. Provided with only one narrow access road, the municipal hall is arguably inaccessible to the public, At the present, the municipal hall is overcrowded due to the inadequate number of offices and waiting areas. The lack of support facilities, poorly developed, unorganized planning is also observed. The steep terrain in some pasts of the site has very much affected the orientation of the buildings and parking areas became limited. Oftentimes, the roadways were being used as parking spaces for both employees and the local townspeople going to the site. During town fiesta, instead of event spaces, the local government utilizes the Imelda National High School’s open and covered court to cater events such as the Tatsulo festival, art contest, dance contest, and other community events. According to the Municipal and Planning Development Coordinator, there is an utmost need for a new municipal hall due to the current condition of the municipal building and the growing economy of the said municipality (Alde, 2021). The current situation of the buildings is not the ideal government office as it limits future expansion and is alread a state of deterioration. The existing municipal hall could serve the public but not as suitable and accessible for every Jineldahanon, especially for the physically challenged. Government buildings play the same role whose prime purpose is to serve and influence the public, aims for the betterment of the country either regional, provincial, municipal or barangay governance. A municipal hall symbolizes democracy, it resonates community's culture and values. However, these aspects could hardly be reflected in the municipal hall of Imelda. In order to draft an iconic image of a municipal hall that serves a public purpose in the municipality of Imelda, the researcher proposes a new municipal Page 13hall; a building typology that enables better govemance represents civie pride and promotes the community’s culture, Moreover, through this project, the local government unit of Imelda will be able to execute its role in accelerating economic development and upgrading the quality of life for the people to the fullest extent, Lastly, aside from proposing a municipal hall redevelopment for the municipality of Imelda, architecture will be used as the main catalyst in attaining the most suitable design solution to contribute to a more effective public service and a culturally-enriched rural community. b. Statement of the Problem The deteriorating condition and its lack of supporting facilities have become the predicament of the Imelda Municipal Hall, Moreover, the existence of these problems posted threats with regards to the functionality of the main purpose of the Local Government of Imelda which is to serve and i iprove the quality of life of the Ineldahanons. The proponent aims to answer the following questions * What are the design imperatives and strategies that shall take place to address the common issues such as lack of supporting facilities and inefficient spaces of the current municipal hall? * How can approaches in Architecture address and alleviate the problems of the existing municipal building and the complexity of the site? Page laSub-Problems: 1. Socio-Cultural Imeldahanons are well-known for their various source of livelihood which is not only limited to agriculture but also famous for their handicraft and woodcraft production such as rattan works, wood furniture works, and exquisitely designed furniture. The vibrant and distinct culture of the existing Subanen tribe. These aspects have been rooted as part of their history and culture but are slowly losing connection to the current social life of the Jmeldahanons due to globalization and modernization. + How can the redevelopment of the municipal hail empower and revita the municipality’s diminishing culture at the same time take part in the global civilization? 2. Environmental Some parts of the Imelda town-proper have been suffering from frequent natural calamities specifically flashflood due to the constant threat of the Sibugay River. As for this year 2021, the municipality has already experienced flashflood twice. Because of this, the cuzrent strategy of either private or government developments is a land reclamation for developments in marshlands and large excavation for hillside developments just to flatten the site which is very destructive to the natural environment. = How can architectural design ideas and strategies negate the current environmental issues of the developments in the Municipality? = How can the project lessen its environmental negative impact and promote environmental-conscious design strategies? Page |S¢. Project Objectives The project is primarily aimed at improving the quality of life of the Jmeldahamons and resolving the current issues of the site by proposing a new municipal hall that will benefit the municipal council, the employees, and the public. The project also aims to empower and revitalize the municipality’s fading culture. The researcher aims to: 1. To provide a new image of a municipal hall for the municipality of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay which will: a. Contribute to better governance for the community through well-planned spaces. b. Represent and empower local culture through architectural design strategies, To redevelop the site in a new approach a. To provide ancillary/supplementary spaces for the benefit of all the different types of users. b. To address the environmental issues and set forth for a new approach of development that lessens the negative impact to the environment. 3. To be an ideal civic that observes the standard health and safety protocols of the Inter-Agency Task Force (ATE). a, To design spaces that adapt to the “new normal” d. Architectural Objectives 1. To design a municipal hall with workable and adequate spaces that lead to maximum productivity for the users at the same time complies with the health and safety protocols, Page 16Strategies: a. By determining the proper and strategical allocation of space in order to provide sufficient office spaces and working areas. b. By providing a fully-equipped and properly planned municipal building to attain maximum workability for the users. c. To design adaptive spaces oriented to social distancing and other procedures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, 2. To introduce and design a community center that will cater community events and gatherings; and will serve as the main public space for the municipality of Imelda. Strategies: a. To design flexible multi-purpose hall, public spaces, and parks that resonates with the community's culture and will serve as a place for social interactions. b. To provide spaces that promote the use of local materials in order to recognize wooderaft and handicraft production as part of the community's deep-rooted culture 3. To apply Critical Regionalism as an architectural approach which will: a. Serve as an architectural principle that embraces the irregularity of the terrain and considers the unique topographic features of the site b. Be an approach to be incorporated into the proposed project to be very self conscious to the local context and maximize the use of passive design (e.2.. natural light, local climate) and the use of locally found materials c. Showcase building identity with global and local character in its design, making the development a civic pride, a landmark, and attraction allowing it to partake in global civilization while promoting local culture. Page l7e. Significance of the Study The proposal will play a significant role in the municipality's governmental development and in upgrading the quality of life of the Jmeldahananons. Significantly, the study will benefit the government employees, the municipal council, and the general public. This project will surely serve and bring comfort to all of its users by way of having a suitable and accessible location and making the services of the fully-equipped ‘municipal hall more convenient. The project is also significant to the culture of the municipality as it will embody design strategies that would reverberate and revitalize the community's diminishing culture, especially to the existing Indigenous group, the Subanen tribe. The proposed redevelopment will also contribute to the economy of the municipality as it will promote the use of available local materials; to the environment as the project would try to minimize its impact and would serve as a prototype development in the town which highly acknowledges the beauty of the natural environment. Lastly, in Architecture, the study introduces how we can maximize the use of various architectural approaches showing the flexibility of architecture that can be applied not just in an urban setting but in a rural context as well. f. Scope and Delimitations of the Study Scope The study is primarily aimed at and focused on investigating and analyzing the issues and predicaments of the current municipal hall being covered in this research. Other methods to be covered in this study include an extensive survey of the site, conducting interviews with the respective personnel of the municipal departments, and surveys on Page 18the interests of the locals. The study will also explore information and design strategies that will be beneficial to the proposal and explore case studies with regards to existing municipal halls and related projects from both local and foreign vantage points. Delimitations The main purpose of this study focuses on the architectural planning, designing, and innovations to alleviate current issues of the existing municipal hall only. At present, departments specifically the Fire and Police departments are strategically dispersed to other locations that made their function more operational. In addition to this, the structures are in a good condition as they were built only a few years ago. ‘The study will not anymore cover research and designing strategies for these building typologies. g. Definition of Terms 1. Province — refers to the highest level of local government govemed by a governor as its executive and the Sangguniang panlalawigan as the legislature. Municipality — refers to the next level of local government in the Philippines governed by a municipal mayor as its executive and Sangguniang bayan as its legislature. Barangay — smallest local government unit governed by a barangay captain as the executive and Sangguniang barangay as the legislature. Imedahanon/s ~ refers to a person residing in the municipality of Imelda. Tatsuto festival — a festival organized by the Local Government Unit of Imelda to showcase the beautiful culture of the municipality Poblacion ~ is the common term used for the administrative center, central, downtown, old town, or central business district area of a Philippine city or Pagelmunicipality, which may take up the area of a single barangay or multiple barangays Municipal mayor ~ refers to the official elected or appointed to act as chief executive of the municipality. Subanen/Subanon Tribe — is an indigenous group to the Zamboanga peninsula area, particularly living in the mountainous areas of Zamboanga Del Sur and is also present in the mountainous areas of Imelda. Local Government Unit (LGU) - refers to local government units that may either be the local governments of highly urbanized cities, provinces, cities, and/or municipalities, ‘© Section 15 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code, defines a local government unit as a body politic and corporate endowed with powers to be exercised by it in conformity with the law, * As such, it performs dual functions, governmental and proprietary. Governmental functions are those that concem health, safety, and the advancement of the public good or welfare as affecting the public generally. Proprietary functions are those that seek to obtain special corporate benefits or earn pecuniary profit and are intended for private advantage and benefits. When exercising goveramental duties, an LGU is an agency of the national government. When engaged in corporate activities, it acts as an agent of the community in the administration of local affairs. Page [10CHAPTER II a. Review of Related Literatures THE ROLE OF PUBLIC SECTOR “Pillars of support for wellbeing in the community” (Kagan, 2007) Each authority should have a Community Strategy outlining ways in which they will move to improving the economic, social, and environmental aspects of their areas, and contributing to the achievement of sustainable development (Kagan, 2007). In the UK, an Act of Parliament, the Local Government Act, 2000 (Part 1) provided local authorities in England and Wales with a new power of ‘well-being’, which entitles them to do anything that might achieve: + The promotion or improvement of the economy and well-being of their area; + The promotion or improvement of the social well-being of their area; + The promotion or improvement of the environmental well-being of their area, Well-being refers, amongst other things, as we have seen, to people's physical, emotional, and psychological health. It includes the presence of social-emotional coping skills to maintain that health and happiness. As such, well-being is closely linked to health in its broadest sense, Well-being includes the development of identity, attainment of personal goals, the pursuit of spiritual meaning, prevention of maladaptive behaviors, development of competencies and skills, and the existence of social support. Well-being is closely linked to the quality of life and to fulfillment of the fundamental human needs of health and what is known as ‘autonomy of agency’ or control over events in one’s life (Doyle and Gough 1984, 1991) Page |MOther counties, either highly-developed or ones that are still developing really thrives to promote well-being in terms of social, economic, and environmental. Good governance is often regarded as essential fora country’s economic development (Kulshreshtha, 2008). The municipality of Imelda as one of the municipalities in the region thriving for developments and prosperity should inherit this type of strategy The government is the pillar of support for well-being in the community. Therefore, the public sector should promote the community it serves by creating an environment that integrates the people’s way of life and shows to them their importance will improve their well-being. Improving govenance- the way society collectively solves its problems and meets its needs- is at the core of government strategies to reconcile economic prosperity, social cohesion, and environmental progress (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 2001). COMMUNITY CENTERS “Major infrastructure” (Qingwen, 2005) ‘Community centers play a significant role in the new social welfare sector for various nations. Community centers have gradually become the major infrastructure of service delivery in urban China (Qingwen, 2005). Community centers are fundamental features of many communities as a space for social interaction and the development of social relationships, which can contribute to social capital, a sense of belonging, and a sense of community (Colistra, 2019). Community centers served as a salient venue for citizen development because of their focus on the process instead of the product (Glover, 2004). When developing community centers, integrating the locals in the process may also ead to a sense of belongingness in one type of community, Project planning and Page |12construction through participatory design and implementation with local residents contributed to enhancing the local residents’ pride and the consciousness of the residents themselves (Lee, 2019). “Making connections with the past” (Stiler, 2006) In Evansville, Indiana, the Carver Community Center uses an academic enrichment program to support neighborhood students. The curriculum involves children leaming about African-American literary traditions and folk art. The Center's work is based on the premise that African-American children need to encounter the reality of history as in integral part of the curriculum; not as a superficial add-on. During the after-school program described in this article, students constructed replicas of indigenous art from inexpensive and commonly found materials. The ecology of learning during this 3-month activity was rich in music, storytelling, and creativity. Elementary students participated in informal pre- and post-activity discussions that indicated an increased level of awareness about African-American history (Stiler, 2006). “Third Places” “Third places,” as defined by Oldenburg (1989), are the “great, good places” that foster community and communication among people outside of home and work, the first and second places of daily life. For an individual, the third place offers stress relief from the everyday demands of both home and work. It provides the feeling of inclusiveness and belonging associated with participating in a group’s social activities, without the rigidity of policy or exclusiveness of club or organization membership. Creating such an inviting environment includes “third places” that foster community and communication among people outside of home and work (Jefiites, 2009). Page |13Republic Act No. 7160 (4n Act Providing For A Local Government Code of 1991) CHAPTER I, SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. —(a) It is hereby declared the policy of the State that the territorial and political subdivisions of the State shall enjoy genuine and meaningful local autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest development as self- reliant communities and make them more effective partners in the attainment of national goals. Toward this end, the State shall provide for a more responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of decentralization whereby local government units shall be given more powers, authority, responsibilities, and resources. The process of decentralization shall proceed from the National Government to the local government units. CHAPTER 2, SECTION 17. Basic Services and Facilities. (a) Local government units shall endeavor to be self-reliant and shall continue exercising the powers and discharging the duties and fonctions currently vested upon them. They shall also discharge the functions and responsibilities of national agencies and offices devolved to them pursuant to this Code. Local government units shall likewise exercise such other powers and discharge such other functions and responsibilities as are necessary, appropriate, or incidental to efficient and effective provision of the basic services and facilities enumerated herein. (b) Such basic services and facilities include, but are not limited to, the following: (2) For a Municipality: (vii) Municipal buildings, cultural centers, public parks including freedom parks, playgrounds, and other sports facilities and equipment, and other similar facilities. This act authored on October 10, 1991, solely emphasizes the significance of government facilities for a town or municipality. Consequently, it serves as a steppingstone for the proposal to be adhered to and realized. Page [14DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS (0! 2 of the Queensland Government Architect, 2010) The government building should contribute to the protection of ecological processes and natural systems at local, regional, state, and wider levels. The government building should contribute to economic development. The government building should contribute to the maintenance of the cultural, economic, physical, and social wellbeing of people and communities (OQGA, 2010). CIVIC BUILDING AND CIVIC ARCHITECTURE (HMC Architects) A civic center is a network of spaces or buildings that provide essential services to a city or town, It can include everything from government offices and public meeting spaces to memorials honoring important members of the community. Civic centers are tailored to support the often very specific needs of communities. As a result, civic center architecture design varies dramatically across the country in size, scope, and overall appearance. According to HMC Architects, these are some of the effective tactics when designing civic centers: Design for Functionality. A Civic center serves many purposes in the economic development of a community that includes the people, therefore, must operate efficiently. For that reason, the planning strategy must consider the external needs of the community, the internal operational needs of the center's staff, and the building itself. Buildings should be true to their original purpose. A development should strive to create a better world and promotes the value of functionalism: that buildings should be designed for functionality (Tanaya, 2019). Choose the most effective layout. The layout is one of the most important aspects of civie center architecture design. It should thoughtfully choreograph the visitor experience Page 15while making the center efficient for staff. It should focus on the following: Seamless flows, wide corridors, comfortable and appealing courtyards, good acoustics, and future aeeds should be considered. Inject character. It should mirror the qualities and values within its context and be a source of public pride. The localities and the general public are the first priority in any civie project therefore a civic center must not only respond to diversity but also embrace it. A good balance between divergent and traditional perspectives must exist. A civic center should provide a wealth of information and taste history from the local region. Artworks from local artists could also be incorporated to represent community values and exude positivity Offer community amenities. In addition to meeting the needs of the community and staff, consider additional amenities that will draw more visitors to a civie center and make them feel comfortable while being there, including public transportation access, classes, coffee shop. Consider partnering with a local business to further support the interests of the community, CRITICAL REGIONALISM Critical regionalism is an architectural concept that seeks to balance local needs and capabilities with the progressive lessons of modernization (Bahga and Raheja, 2018). It strives to counter the lack of identity and relationship of architecture towards its location and context. It is a strategy for achieving a more humane architecture in the face of universally held abstractions and international clichés. Critical regionalism implores the use of critical analysis in solving problems or exploring possibilities rather than creating a solution that is insensitive to its context and location, Page [16Towards A Critical Regionalism (Kenneth Frampton, (1981) The bulldozing of an irregular topography into a flat site is clearly a technocratic gesture that aspires to a condition of absolute placefessness, whereas the terracing of the same site to receive the stepped form of a building is an engagement in the act of “cultivating” the site, It is possible to argue that in this last instance the specific culture of the region — that is to say, its history in both a geological and agricultural sense ~ becomes inscribed into the form and realization of the work. This inscription, which arises out of “inlaying" the building into the site, has many levels of significance, for it has a capacity to embody, inbuilt form, the prehistory of the place, its archeological past, and its subsequent cultivation and transformation across time. Through this layering into the site, the idiosynerasies of place find their expression without falling into sentimentality. Re-evaluating Critical Regionalism: An Architecture of the Place (dricreea Cutieru, 2020) “There is a different way for architecture to move beyond Modernism without returning to the architectural language of the past” (Cutieru, 2021). Critical Regionalism proposed an architecture that would embrace global influences while firmly rooted in its context. Critical Regionalism necessarily involves a more directly dialectical relation with nature than the more abstract, formal traditions of modern avant-garde architecture allow (Frampton, 1981). It seeks architectural traditions that are deeply rooted in the local conditions which result in highly intelligent and appropriate architecture. By being critical of a region’s building traditions, a practitioner is able to extract only the essence of these traditions rather than literal references (Lefaivre and Tzonis, 2003). Page |17Iniits broadest sense, then, the critical regionalist sensibility looks to the uniqueness of site and location -a design method that is assuredly modem but relies on the organic unity of local material, climatic, and cultural characteristics to lend coherence to the finished work. The result is an architecture suited to light and touch. Critical Regionalism in the Philippine Context Critical regionalism is the response to the identity crisis in architecture. It is an architectural answer of creating architecture to be neither a vacuously intemational practice nor a slushy utilization of the vernacular (Elpedes, 2012). It is regionalist in the sense of not being internationalist and critical in the sense of not being a slavish imitation of older forms. When a municipality or town, a city, or a nation is seen to be different and unique to itself, it will be a point of interest of its neighboring communities thus increasing the potential for foreign tourists to come by. These are but a few reasons why the identity of a community is important consequently requiring critical regionalism in the field of architecture According to Filipino Architect Edwin Uy in an interview: “Critical regionalism is something incorporated into the concept itself”. In a distinguished critical regionalist building, the components of the environment and the natural landscape or of one’s local culture are integrated into the architecture of the structure, instead of utilizing the typical global elements of one type of architecture. To consider this approach in a broader perspective, checking out the locality even before coming up with a concept is very necessary. Ocular inspections are very important. Surveying the site and also studying the village, the town, or the local context where the structure will be built is part of the concept of critical regionalism, Page [18Summary and Conclusion A community, city, or nation’s identity is indeed very important. It is the measure of the total growth of the country. One can’t say that because of the arising technological breakthrough, a country can be considered growing in the same way, it will not show a nation’s growth when it keeps a tight grip on its historic past. To solve this issue, we have the concept of critical regionalism. Being distinguished is very vital as it shows how the town or municipality has developed It's important to have cultural insights when designing, as it can help us understand how users think and behave, How their mind works. In architecture, critical regionalism is easily recognizable for it readily shows that in today’s modemizing age, the culture, the tradition, and the self of a nation, a city, or municipality can be identified through architecture. Critical regionalism plays suc fine balance that takes the logical, practical values of modemists, but also embraces the nuances of local heritage, variety, and peculiarities that make a place thoroughly unique and thus give them an identity. Page |19b. Case Studies Foreign Case Studies 1, Siynatsalo Town Hall ( Municipaity of Saynatsalo, Finland) It is a multifunctional building complex, consisting of two main buildings organized around a centralized courtyard; a U-shaped council chamber and town hall — with administrative offices and a community library with flats Occupying the center of a small farming town in Finland, Siynitsalo’s Town Hall might appear almost too monumental for its context. Designed by Alvar Aalto in 1949, the town hall is a study in opposition: elements of classicism and the monumeatal blended with modemity and intimacy to form a cohesive new center-point for the community. These and other aspects of the design initially proved somewhat divisive, and the Town Hall has not been without controversy since its inception. Page |20Aalto’s winning proposal for the project follows the traditional European court-and- tower model of a civic center. The complex consists of two wood-framed brick buildings: the rectangular library block and the U-shaped government building. These two buildings act as a retaining wall that allowed Aalto to fill the central courtyard with earth excavated from the slope of the site; thus, the courtyard is lifted one story above the surrounding landscape. The sense of public accessibility is heightened by the extensive glazing of the entrance lobby and corridor lining two sides of the courtyard. The permeability of these spaces makes for a stark contrast with the most prominent feature of the town hall: he council chamber.The courtyard itself is only partially paved, continuing the juxtaposition of brick and grass begun by the two staircases. The entrances to the civie offices and the public library open onto the courtyard, allowing it to serve not only as an open circulator space, but also as a public plaza for the benefit of the entire town. Entzy into the council chamber brings one into space of a much grander scale than that of the stairway leading to it. The room is roughly cubic, with the distance from floor to ceiling nearly matching the length of the walls. The ceiling, whose slope matches that of the roof, is visibly supported by wooden struts fanning out from two central beams; these struts support the roof entirely, negating the need for heavy built-in framing that would obstruct ventilation between the interior and exterior surfaces of the roof. The council chamber is naturally lit by a densely-louvered west-facing window, with hanging lamps illuminating both the desks below and the wooden trusses above them.2. Viborg Town Hall (Viborg, Denmark) With its complex faceted i | shape, Viborg Town Hall aT becomes a symbol of the new large municipal community that opens in the wake of the municipal merger. The interplay between house and park creates a new place in the town where the large inner atrium is the heart that joins the town hall's professional community with the community of the citizens. The town council hall is flexibly designed and together with the canteen, foyer and an adjoining meeting room it can be converted into a conference centre. The café on the top floor of the building has direct access to the roof garden with a view of Viborg Cathedral. Page |233. Huis van Albrandswaard Municipal Building (Albrandswaard, Netherlands) The Huis van Albrandswaard is a new office building for the municipality of Albrandswaard. The building was designed by Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects, afer convincingly comi ng out on top with their eye-catching round design at the architect selection process in 2018. Residents, politicians, and civil servants have to feel welcome in this new building, which will also house several other departments alongside the towa hall, such as the district team, the Albrandswaard Well-being Foundation, RTV Albrandswaard, the multifunctional council chamber which can also be used as a space for events, as well as the sports cafeteria of the gym next door. Everyone has to go to the town hall at some point for things like a driver's license or a passport, but this building also offers the opportunity to host exhibitions, readings, or performances when there aren’t any council meetings going on. The civil servants and politicians that work in this building are visible to visitors due to the transparent layout, The cafeteria for the Page [24civil servants is merged with the sports cafeteria of the connecting gym. This encourages more interaction between council members and citizens. The council chamber, public desk, work stations, and gym, all connected. After passing through the main entrance you'll find yourself in an open area with public desks. From here you'll have a nice view of the council chamber, of which the floor is one meter lower. Through the wooden stands, you can descend to that level. The civil servants’ work stations are situated around the council chamber, as well as the work stations of the mayor and the council members, Durable building is the main focus of the design. Because the building is round, ithas a smaller circumference than a square building with the same surface area, Saving energy starts with the building shape because the energy you don’t need is the most durable type of energy. The building has a compact outer hull due to its round shape, meaning its surface area barely cools off. At the south side of the building, you'll find awnings and overhanging eaves, offering protection from the warm summer sun while also being high enough to let c ——s a Hg OF e ereeeee & through the low winter sun, Page |25This means the building requires less cooling in the summer and less heating in the winter On top of that, the entire roof is covered with solar panels, which means the building easily passes the new BENG (Nearly Energy Neutral Building) and is even completely energy neutral 4. The Qinchang Village Town Hall (Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo, Henan Province, China) The Qinchang Village Town hall is located directly to the east of the Qinchang Village CPC Community Center in Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo, Henan Province. It is the second phase of the Qinchang Village CPC Center Complex. While Phase I on the west side accommodates mostly non-profit community services programs and ceremonial spaces, the east side focuses on the introduction of small local businesses as well as cultural and recreational programs, including a store selling local farm produce and handicrafts souvenirs, a small café, a restaurant, a gallery as, well as a children’s library. Page |26The central courtyard naturally formed by these three individual buildings interacts with the west side cloister-style one, continuing and reinforcing the porosity and accessibility from the west: openings in-between all of the individual buildings allows villagers to access or pass-through the site conveniently. The central multi-functional open space also provides villagers of all ages with a place for social and recreational activities, which complements, balances, and enriches the tranquil, ceremonial ambience of the West Courtyard Page |27LOCAL CASE STUDIES 1. Tagum City Hall, City of Tagum, Philippines Tagum city is one of the top most livable cities inthe Philippines, and was one of the finalists in Most Child Friendly > oe City in the Philippines — Component Category along with Laoag, and Talisay, Cebu. In the recently released 2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCD) the City of Tagum ranked third on the Overall Competitive Component Cities in the Philippines, second on Infrastructure, fourth in Resiliency, seventeenth on Economic Dynamism and twenty-fourth on Government Efficiency. Post modernist in approach and notable for its design bravura, this city hall combines a multiplicity of dise-like geometries, prominent volumes, and bold, even surprising elements like the suspension cable system that seems to hold up the roof. A little over- designed perhaps but may be aspirational, for the ambitions and goals of the city, Page |282. Balanga City Hall (Balanga City, Philippines) By: WTA Architecture and Design Studio Envisioned to be the anchor of a proposed city center, the Balanga City Hall is an 11,865 square meter sprawling development that rethinks the program of a civic center. Situated north of the old city center, it is designed to cater to a new generation of Balanguelios with contemporary lifestyle. 5 As the focal point of a new city center that promotes a walkable and permeable neighborhood, this new City Hall is also made more accessible as compared to traditional monolithic models. Instead of enclosing the program into a solid structure, the new City Center breaks the program into clusters of buildings interconnected by a green spine—creating an integrated city hall park. This concept gears towards a progressive direction implying a more transparent and participatory government structure, sustainable development, and a people-centric environment. Page |29Affirming the concept of its unorthodox program, the form appears like fragmented pieces of stones from a solid piece of rock permeated by a people’s park that implies a stream. Like a flowing stream, the stream that connects the old and new city centers, the design empowers the people to access the city hall park and enliven it 3. San Fernando City Hall, San Fernando (Pampanga, Philippines) Designed like a row of townhouses this building boldly employs Baroque- like elements. A lot of attention was given to the facade, with a merry mix of rounded pediments punctuated by Tonic columns topped by dentils and underlined by heavy cornices, an omate fence decorating the front and a stylized pediment capping the facade. San Fernando is a city familiar with neoclassical and baroque designs as they often use them in their export furniture so in a way this is a reflection of the city’s culture and industry. Page [304. Bacolod New Government Center ‘The New Government Center or the NGC is now one of the new landmarks of Bacolod City. It stands on a 5-hectare lot donated by Fernando F. Gonzaga, Inc. and Angela Estate, Inc. Inaugurated in July 2010, it replaced the old City Hall at Araneta-Luriaga Streets. It cost the City and its people almost 400 million to build this new seat of power. Since the start of operation of the NGC, it has attracted business and trade in the surrounding area, ‘What used to be a vast sugarcane field has now been transformed into a busy development area in the city. Undonbiedly neoclassical in form this building makes a grand gesture with its imposing facade set off an expansive plaza with a substantial water feature. It is a good interpretation of neoclassical architecture as designed and constructed today. However, it adheres much to the design of the provincial capital, one of the most beautiful in the country and a masterpiece of the neoclassical by Juan Arellano, to the point of mimicry. Some landscaping and vegetation would work well to ‘soften’ the hard edges of the building and provide relief from the sun and heat for commuters. The NGC grounds are frequented by joggers, pet lovers with their dogs, fiends or families hanging out, etc. It has also been a favorite of photography enthusiasts for workshops or commercial shoots. The NGC fast becoming one of the most photographed landmarks in the city.¢. Conceptual Framework ees each The conceptual framework above shows how the critical regionalism approach directly affects the four underlying aspects that the proposed project wants to embody and promote, which are the social aspect, environmental aspect, economic aspect, and cultural aspect together with the supporting relevant factors that were formulated based on the statement of the problem. The crosshair-like diagram shows how the critical regionalism approach intervenes with the relevant aspects and the proposed project at the center as the main target of the thesis. Moreover, the formulated conceptual framework is a direct correspondent to the statement of the problem and objectives. Page |32CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY This chapter will present and describe the procedures of how the research is to be carried out. This part will also provide information about the method being used in establishing this research as well as a rationalization for the use of the specific method. The chapter also illustrates and exemplifies the several phases of the study, which consist of determining the research respondents, the projected research environment, the data gathering procedure, the data treatment and analysis, and lastly the instruments to be used. a. Research Design The descriptive type of research makes use of both quantitative and qualitative methods in this study. The diagram below is a framework that shows the whole process of the study. Research Framework Petre) va IDENTIFYING bil and oe aS Pion) CUT cl LU ately aad ed Beta py Cory DATA Perey =z RESeAs IRONMENT IE RESPONDENTS ory " TFILES ureratures fl tay Ea TREATMENT Cay ern) INTERPRETATION, Ca Page |33b. Research Environment The research environment of this study is the Municipality of Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay. Currently classified as a 4% class municipality in Zamboanga Sibugay with a total population of 26,020 people according to the 2020 census. A landlocked and mountainous agricultural town and the least populous municipality in the Province and the third smallest in terms of land area. The study will undergo investigation and observation, particularly on the existing Municipal Hall and all the aspects involved such as social, environmental, and cultural characteristics of the community. es’ fuaere nt cris c. Research Respondents ‘The research respondents are mainly the residents of the Municipality of Imelda. They will be interviewed to acquire factual and truthful information based on their observations on current conditions and issues associated with the study. However, it is likely impossible to collect data for each citizen present in the community, hence a probability sampling method shall take place in the process. According to (McCombes, 2019), it involves random selection allowing to make strong statistical inferences. Moreover, this method enables the survey to comply with the required minimum. Page [34The survey shall cover a sample size of at least a minimum of 100 respondents to participate in answering the survey questionnaires as a method of the research. The proponent will also conduct formal interviews with the government personnel on the selected government offices and agencies to gather information related to the study. The results of surveys and interviews will contribute to the acquisition of primary data together with the gathered data from agencies and ocular investigations. It will help with a better evaluation for a more appropriate conclusion and recommendation, d. Data Gathering Procedure 1. Primary Data Gathering Procedure The starting point of procedures in collecting the primary data is observation, personal ocular investigation in the research environment, jotting down notes, taking photos on the current situation specifically on the Municipal Hall, and observing the environments, activities, and behaviors of the community. Second, is the creation of survey questionnaires then to be consulted to the ethics board for approval, then conducting an online survey through google forms, the questionnaires will be sent/shared to the respondents within the locality. 2. Secondary Data Gathering Procedure ‘The procedures in collecting the secondary data are, preparing a formal letter to gather data to various government agencies and offices related to the study. Before distributing the letters, these will first undergo a consultation with the thesis adviser for approval. The approved letters will then be distributed/emailed to the respective government agencies and offices for data gathering. The inputs of Case Studies will serve as guidance to achieve the most appropriate and applicable strategy for the proposal. Lastly, after the Page 135surveys, observations, and data collection, all the gathered data will be assessed and evaluated for data analysis and interpretation. 3. Treatment of Data The data being collected will then be treated with the utmost confidentiality and will be used for this study only. e. Research Instruments The research utilizes various instruments to acquire factual information and data related to the study ranging from ocular investigations and observations, interviews, and survey questionnaires which are part of the essentials for the completion of the research endeavor; to reliable articles, books, and journals that are available on the internet which would supplement the information needed for the validity of this study. The study will also utilize government offices and agencies in acquiring data which includes: Philippines Statistic Authority (PSA), Office of the Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator, Office of the Municipal Administrator, Electronic Freedom of Information (eFOD), Department of laterior and Local Government (DILG). f. Site Selection Criteria The site selection criteria would show the existing site's attributes for the proposed project. For the proposal to achieve greater possibilities and unbiased selection of the site, the proponent will look for 2 (two) other possible sites carrying potentials for the proposed project. This research process would assess different criteria ranging from land, zoning, safety & security and accessibility, and other relevant factors affecting the proposal. The table below shows the different criteria with number ratings (3- highest, Page [361- lowest) to determine the best option for each category. The existing site together with the selected potential sites will then be rated and scored with the most favorable rating from each category based on its condition and suitability for the proposal. A justification for each category has also been provided for a brief explanation of how the site should be rated for each criterion, ria for Site Selection Category Zoning and Land Use Within Institutional Zone Within Residential/ Commercial Zone Within Agricultural Zone Land Area Approx. 5-6 hectares Approx. 3-4 hectares Approx. 1-2 hectares Safety and Security Low-risk possibility Medium risk possibility High-risk possibility Utilities and Services Utilities and services are available and sufficient Rating Justification The appropriate and fitting land use or zoning of the municipality. It should provide special use foran institutional project, site nmst be at the The site must have sufficient land area to be put up with a municipal building and other supporting facilities included in the project. The site must ensure safety and security for all types of users. There should be peace and order around the vicinity and of the surrounding community. Utilities and services must be available within and around the site. Page |37Utilities and services are inadequate Non-existence of utilities and services Proximity Approx. 5-10 minutes away from the town center Approx. 20-30 minutes away from the town center 1 hour and above away from the town center Accessibility Accessible by all types of public and private vehicles Accessible by private vehicles Not accessible by all types of vehicles Demography Low population density Medium population density High population density Expansion Capa Excellent expansion capability Good expansion capability Poor expansion capability Topography The site should be proximate to the town center and should just be a few minutes away through vehicular transport. The site must be accessible by all types of vehicular transportation present in the municipality. Although the type of project is highly for the community of Imelda, the site should consider a low density of population to maintain stability and to mediate possible threats such as population growth and man-made pollution. The site must be capable to cater future expansion and developments The shape and tenain as natural features of the land must be Page [38Relatively flat Moderate slopes Steep slopes Flora and Fauna Excellent flora and fauna Good flora and fauna Absence of flora and fauna TOTAL 30 capable enough about the most favorable project construction and planning. Relatively flat to moderate terrain should be considerable enough for the proposal. The flora and fauna as environmental factors should exist within the vicinity of the site which can be used to supplement the development. Page |39WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY L. Lefaivre, A. Tzonis (2003). Critical Regionalism: Architecture and Identity ina Globalized World. Prestel, Munich (2003) S. Bahga, G. Raheja (2018). 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