CW 4: Plate No.
3 -
Subdivision Planning
Phase 1: Research, Concept, Space Requirements and
Strategies
I. Nature of the Project/Background
a.History, Architectural History
The Evolution of Residential Dwellings in the Philippines
Through the Years
1. Tungkod-Bahay sa Tubig
These stilt houses are the signature
homes of Badjaos who do not live in
their balangays (boats). It is
constructed from waste materials
and driftwood Constructed on stilts
that are skillfully positioned between
coral and coastal rocks.
2. Bahay Kubo
A small hut composed of nipa,
bamboo, and other native materials.
Many citizens to this day still adopt
this style of habitation due to its
simple design, ease of execution,
and its readily available materials.
3. Bahay na Bato
Stone and masonry construction was
also introduced to the Philippines
during the Spanish colonial era. The
ground level was made of massive
cut stone or brick walls and the upper
built with hardwood.
4. Tsalet (Chalet)
As the United States stepped in, they
laid the foundation for the cubeta or
the use of toilets. The bathroom and
kitchen was situated inside the house
and had modern features such as the
flush system and modern shower.
Private garages to secure vehicles
were introduced. The early days of urban planning also emerged
with this concept, via a neighborhood design called a sanitary
barrio.
5. Bungalow
Major architectural developments
occurred during the American
regime, including the origin of the
most common type of house in the
country, the bungalow. These low-
rise homes sport a pitched roof and a
horizontal shape, with the roof
typically made of galvanized iron,
walls made of concrete, and equipped with a yard, a garden, or
covered carport–if not all three.
6. Townhouse
Townhouses are another common
type of home in the Philippines.
Subdivisions across the country have
adopted this type of design, which
provides an urban feel without having
to live in the city centre. Townhouses
are considered ‘starter homes’ for
new families, especially as they are
the most economical in terms of lot area and overall cost of
building and maintenance.
 7. Condominiums
Condominiums have taken over
major cities because of its price
range and strategic location in city
centres. It offers utmost convenience
to residents, seeing as they will have
direct access to gyms and
recreational areas and they won’t
have to worry about maintaining
yards and garages. These types of homes come with its own
building security, landscapers, repairmen, housekeepers, and
other servicemen. Its visual impact paints the skylines of the
country’s central city hubs today.

Map of the walled city of Spanish Manila (Intramuros)

History on the Development of Gated Communities

The roots of this model of gated neighborhoods can be traced to

AMERICAN ERA
notions of defense and refuge. The foremost example is the
In 1898, the United States purchased the Philippines and two
fortification of territories by ancient civilizations. Throughout the
other countries from Spain through the Treaty of Paris, a move
history, people have, at some point in their evolution, built
that sparked hope for the long-awaited Philippine independence.
physical barriers to protect themselves from external entities.
This did not come as anticipated, so the Philippine-American war
broke out. The reign of the Americans lasted almost four decades
SPANISH ERA
and led to the erection of military camps all over the country.
With the coming of the Spaniards, land was owned predominantly
by the friars, if not the state. This was the first appearance of
Approximately 20 forts
privatization of property in the country. The foundation of the
built to secure their Asian
modern urban layout is the Hispanic colonial towns. Planned as
territory were also
a European-style city, Manila was immediately walled to protect
designed for the comfort
the Spanish-only inhabitants from threats within and outside.
and physical well-being
Natives were banned from Intramuros, or inside the walls and
of their officers and men,
non-Europeans already merchandizing on the islands were made
who had no experience
to occupy specific districts and constantly regulated.
living in the tropics. The
arrangement of spaces and
By the end of their reign, Spain had more than 20 fortresses in
design of structures
the Philippines, with the churches also acting as defense
mimicked the design of their homeland neighborhoods.
structures when needed.
The United States retained the layout of cities formed during the
lengthy Spanish occupation and improved on it with the
introduction of the City Beautiful Movement, a planning principle
that began in the 1890s in the United States and centered on
material aesthetics.
Another notable influence on Manila’s built environment was the
Sanitary Barrio introduced by American urban planners. This
neighborhood concept, which integrated sanitation systems in
mass housing, promoted sanitary living, and enforced building
standards. Housing lots were laid out in blocks , each having
built-in, communal facilities, and streets that were laid out in a grid
pattern.
Luneta Park in the foreground, and Intramuros on the upper left in a photograph dated
October 25, 1933
Residential districts outside Intramuros were offered by
businessman Henry M. Jones, who acquired huge tracts of land,
subdivided them into smaller lots, and sold them at a reasonable
price with utilities already provided. Houses, markets, schools,
and other institutional buildings were designed by the Americans
and many were built to beautify their empire in Asia.
After a few decades, Filipinos finally occupied most of the
administrative seats, and in 1934, Manuel L. Quezon the first
president of the Commonwealth, held office.
Among the initial steps taken to provide for the landless, Filipino
was the first government housing agency of the country, People’s
Homesite Corporation (PHC) followed by National Housing
Commission (NHC), as well as the housing model Barrio
Obrero or Laborer’s Village. By 1936, the Vitas Tenement
Housing Project and Diliman Hacienda were partially
implemented, which were developments based on the barrio
obrero concept. The rule of the Americans ended with the dawn
of World War II. The 1942-1945 period emphasized the survival
and building for self-protection, and in June 1946, the Republic of
the Philippines was born.
POST WAR ERA
Philippine gated community is shaped by both tangible and
intangible aspects that are deeply rooted in the history of the
country.
Forbes Park was one of the
exclusive neighborhoods built
outside the city center with
comprehensive regulations
for landowners, sufficient
utilities, and world-class
amenities, and then, was
gated due to felonious acts
brought by civil unrest after
centuries of colonial rule.
Other real estate developers,
many American-owned during the 20th century, bought huge
parcels of land and subdivided them to be sold finished with
utilities, as Jones did with the residential districts around
Intramuros. Philam Homes added facilities that would make living
within the subdivision complete, and its master plan
already had walls and gates included to assure safety for
residents during that turbulent time in Philippine history.
The figure shows the site development plan of Philam Homes in
Quezon City and Epifanio delos Santos Avenue (EDSA), West
Avenue, and Anaran Creek as the edges, amenities at the middle,
and the numbered housing lots laid out in blocks surrounding it.
Presently, the neighborhood strictly maintains the R-1
classification or low-density residential zone, except for lots along
EDSA and West Avenue, which were reclassified as major
commercial zones with the urbanization of Quezon City through
the decades.
PRESENT
Today, threats of rebellion do not exist but privatized
neighborhoods flourish. Nishioka regards the Philippine’s gated
community as a sub-system of the city.
The following are the characteristics of EHS: they are planned
developments for residential use, mainly single-family housing,
with inbound restrictions such as fences and walls. Besides
encompassing sizable lots, common parameters for these
secured villages still are accessible to major roads or streets
leading to city centers, availability of utilities (water, electricity,
sanitation) within the neighborhood, as well as amenities to
encourage residence within the master-planned communities.
Site development plan, a conceptual diagram of a Philippine
gated community. 1—Perimeter walls and regulated access
points into the gated community such as gates, boom barriers,
and guardhouses influenced by Intramuros and other Spanish
forts as well as American military camps. 2—Shared amenities
area, usually park, recreational facilities, sports courts, and a
multi-purpose hall were found at the center of the development
inspired by principles of the Garden City.
b.Types
4. Rowhouse
The different types of dwelling units in the Philippines Dwelling units containing 3 or
more living units that abut each
Dwelling Unit other, where each unit is
A structure used as a residence.It has one or more rooms for separated by firewall and has
sleeping, cooking, and toilet facilities with a private entrance from independent access. Usually, the
outside the building or from outside the building or from a common developer clustered 4,6,8 up to 10
units per row. Normally the end unit
hallway or stairway inside the building.
lots benefit from larger lot areas

1. Single Detached
A single-detached property sits 5. Condominium
alone and there is an open space on A dwelling with multiple-units each
the sides plus the front and back, owned individually and has
the house is in the middle of the lot.
common areas that are owned
Single-detached housing provides
space between neighbors, it has and shared by all unit owners.
more floor area and a better sense
of privacy

2. Single Attached
A dwelling unit with one side
attached to a firewall.
Firewall, any wall that divides a
building to resist the spread of fire.
It starts at the foundation and
extends continuously through all
storeys to or above the roof.

3. Duplex
A dwelling unit that has 2 separate
living units, divided by firewall, and
has independent access.
Duplexes are not twin homes; they
are properties that share a single
lot. You may have several owners,
but they have the same shared lot
ownership.
II. Site Considerations & its contribution to Energy Efficiency
A. PLANNING
Subdivision and site design standards are used by
communities to regulate how parcels of land are divided into
developable lots, and how those lots are subsequently designed
and laid out through the development process.
• Slopes. Slopes greater than 30 percent, or otherwise
unstable or subject to hazards, are not allowed to be
platted or developed for residential uses without
mitigation controls in place.
• Natural Features. Subdivisions or development shall
protect waterways, vegetation, and rocks and other
natural features or vistas.
• Areas of Special Flood Hazard. Mapped special flood
hazard areas identify areas where subdivisions shall not
be approved without evidence that it is not in a flood
hazard or meets other flood damage protection
regulations to the satisfaction of the floodplain
administrator.
• Geologic Hazard Areas. Subdivisions and site plans
must meet mitigation conditions prior to approval in
mapped geologic hazard areas in the Town as the
information becomes available, including provisions to
prevent danger to human life or property.
• Riparian Setbacks. To promote and preserve the quality
of the river ecology, aesthetic, and recreation.
1. Area Planning
Project design should consider not only the reduction of cost of
development to a minimum but also the provision for possible
future improvement or expansion, as in the prescription of lot
sizes, right-of-way of roads, open space, allocation of areas for
common uses and facilities
Land allocation and alignment of the various utilities (roads,
drainage, power and water) of the subdivision shall be integrated
with those of existing networks as well as projects outside the
boundaries of the project site' e.g. access roads set forth herein
and should follow the standard specifications of the Department
of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
2. Slte Preservation/Alteration
a.Slope
The finished grade shall have a desired slope to allow terrain
water to be channeled into street drains. Where cut and fill is
necessary, an appopriate grade shall be attained to prevent any
depression in the area.
Grading and ditching shall be executed in a manner that will
prevent erosion or flooding of adjoining properties.
b. Preservation of Site Assets
Suitable trees with a caliper diameter of 200 milimeters or more,
shrubs and desirable ground cover shall be preserved. Where a
good quality top soil exists in the site, it shall not be removed and
shall be preserved for finishing grades of yards, playgrounds,
parks and garden area.
c. Ground Cover
Grass, shrubs, plants and other landscaping materials used icr
ground cover shall be of variety appropriate for its intended use
and location. They shall be so planted as to allow complete and
permanent cover of the area.
3. Easements
Subdivision projects shall observe and conform to the provisions
of easements as may be required by:
a. Chapter lV, Section 51 of the Water Code of the philippines on
water bodies
b. National Power Corporation (NpC) on transmission lines
c. Fault traces as identified by pHTVoLCS per Resorution No. 5i5,
series of 1992
d. Right-of-way of other public companies and other entities
e. For project abutting national roads (primary roads) adequate
easement shall be provided for road including loading and
unloading as may be required by national/local govemment units
other related laws
4. Circulation
a. Depending on the classification of roads adjacent to the
subdivision and the size of the project site, road network should
result into a hierarchy of functions and should define and serve
the subdivisions as one integrated unit
b. Roads complemented with pathwalk within the subdivision
must be so the nearest to facilitate movement within and in linking
the subdivision the nearest transportation route and adjacent
property.
Whenever there is/are existing roads within the project site which
shall be made part of the subdivision, these shall be improved in
accordance with the standards set forth herein.
c. Streets should conform to the contours of the land as much as
practicable.
d. Provisions of major street extension for future connection to
adjoining developed and/or underdeveloped properties shall
mandatory integrated or aligned with existing ones, if any.
e. Streets shall be so laid out to minimize critical intersections
such as blind comers, skew junctions, etc.
f. Roads shall conform with civil work design criteria as per
Section 10.B.3 of this Rules and sound engineering practices
B. BUILDING TECH/UTILITIES
a. Energy Conservation. Each proposed subdivision shall be
designed to provide maximum opportunities for energy
conservation, including opportunities for passive or natural
heating or cooling opportunities, in compliance with Map Act
Section 66473.1, as follows:
1. Street Layout. The streets proposed in a subdivision
shall be planned in a primarily east-west orientation where
feasible.
2. Lot and Building Site Design. Proposed lots shall be
designed, where feasible, to provide building sites that
permit the orientation of structures in east-west alignment
for southern exposure, and to take advantage of existing
shade or prevailing breezes.
b. Drainage Plan. No inter-lot or “cross drainage” shall be
permitted. Each lot shall drain its own water to a public street,
approved public or private drainage facility, or natural drainage
course without passing through or across an adjacent lot, except
where a legal right exists (e.g., a drainage easement), and is
authorized by the city engineer. No lot shall drain water over the
bank of a flood control channel.
c. Public Utilities and Utility Easements. Each approved
parcel shall be provided connections to public utilities, including
electricity, gas, water, sewer, and telecommunications services,
which shall be installed as part of the subdivision improvements
as provided by this section.
1. Underground Utilities Required. Utilities in new
subdivisions shall be installed underground, as follows.
These requirements do not apply to utility lines which do
not serve the area being subdivided. Telecommunications
facilities are also subject to the requirements of
Chapter 17.44 (Telecommunications Facilities) of this title.
a. When Undergrounding is Required. All existing and
proposed utility distribution facilities (including electric,
telecommunications and cable television lines)
installed in and for the purpose of supplying service to
any subdivision shall be installed underground.
Equipment appurtenant to underground facilities,
including transformers, pedestal mounted terminal
boxes and meter cabinets, and ducts, shall also be
located underground or entirely within a building, not
located with a right-of-way or required setback.
 The subdivider is responsible for complying with the
requirements of this section and shall make the
necessary arrangements with the affected utility
companies for facility installation.
b. Location of Installation. Underground utility lines
may be installed within a public or private street right-
of-way or along a lot line, subject to appropriate
easements being provided if necessary. When
installed within a public street right-of-way, their
location and method of installation, insofar as it affects
other improvements within the street right-of-way, shall
be subject to the approval of the city engineer.
2. Utility Easements – Minimum Width. The minimum width
of easements for public or private utilities, sanitary sewers,
or water distribution systems shall be determined by the
review authority based on the recommendations of the city
engineer for city facilities, and the recommendations of the
applicable utility company, for public or private utilities.
3. Timing of Installation. All underground utilities, water
lines, sanitary sewers, and storm drains installed in streets,
shall be constructed before the streets are surfaced.
Connections to all underground utilities, water lines, and
sanitary sewers from approved parcels shall be laid to
sufficient lengths, as determined by the city engineer, to
avoid the need for disturbing the street improvements
when service connections are made.
subdivider shall also pay the street light maintenance and
energy fee required by the city.
f. Storm Drainage. Storm water runoff from the subdivision
shall be collected and conveyed by an approved storm drain
system.
1. The storm drain system shall be designed for ultimate
development of the drainage area, and shall comply with
any applicable NPDES requirements.
2. The storm drain system shall provide for the protection
of abutting and off-site properties that would be adversely
affected by any increase in runoff attributed to the
development; off-site storm drain improvements may be
required to satisfy this requirement.
3. Any easement for drainage or flood control shall be
improved as specified by the city engineer.
g. Water Supply. Each approved parcel shall be served by the
city’s water distribution system and shall be designed and
constructed to accommodate both domestic and fire flows,
together with necessary fire hydrants to serve each lot proposed
to be created.

d. Sewage Disposal. Each parcel within an approved

subdivision shall be provided a connection to the city’s sewage
collection, treatment, and disposal system, in compliance with
the city’s improvement standards and specifications. The
subdivider shall also pay the city’s required connection fee.

e. Street Lighting. All proposed subdivisions shall provide

street lighting facilities designed and constructed in compliance
with the city’s improvement standards and specifications. The
C. APPLICATION IN SUBDIVISION PLANNING & DESIGN
a. Energy and Subdivision Design
For new construction, houses are typically built in subdivisions
where street layouts largely determine the distribution of house
orientations. Energy and peak demands for heating and cooling
are functions of house orientation, window area distributions
(front, back, left, right), and shading from neighboring houses.
Orientations of solar hot water (SHW) collectors and
photovoltaic (PV) arrays depend on available roof surfaces
(front, back, left, right) and house orientation. Therefore, street
layouts fundamentally influence both the energy efficiency and
energy generation opportunities for houses in subdivisions.
b. Heating
Heating energy is affected by solar gains through windows
during the heating season, primarily as a function of south-
facing window area, glass type (solar heat gain coefficient
[SHGC]), overhangs to ameliorate summer overheating, and
possibly thermal mass to store heat from day to night.
c. Cooling
Cooling energy is affected by solar gains through windows
during the cooling season as influenced primarily by east and
west window areas and glass type (SHGC). Solar gains through
east and west windows are significant, because during the
summer the sun rises north of east and sets north of west so
that during the early morning and late afternoon and evening,
solar radiation impinges directly on east and west windows,
respectively. Because the sun is low in the sky during these
times, overhangs or eaves do not provide effective shading.
d. Shading from Neighboring Houses
Neighboring houses to the front or rear are typically
too far away to cause shading. Neighboring houses to
the left and the right, however, can cause significant
shading. For houses on east-west streets, shading
from neighboring houses occurs primarily during the
summer when the sun is low in the eastern and
western skies and can reduce air-conditioning energy
use. For houses on north-south streets, shading
occurs primarily during the winter when the midday
sun is low in the southern sky and can increase
heating energy use.
e. Design Variants
Orientation-specific variants of house plans can be designed to
achieve energy efficiency on particular lots while maintaining the
general architectural appearance of the original house plan. For
example, specifying different glass properties for windows would
create a variant that that would be visually indistinguishable from
the original plan but would have potential heating and cooling
energy savings if assigned to appropriate lot orientations.
Other variants, such as changing the distribution of window
areas or use of overhangs or fins on different sides of a house
plan, may have acceptably minor changes in visual appearance
and still offer heating and cooling energy savings. To the degree
that variants are visually acceptable and interchangeable in their
assignments to particular lots, they can be optimally assigned
within a subdivision area to achieve energy efficiency over a
range of lot orientations.
f. Roof Surfaces environme ensure the
Roof surfaces are house plan dependent. For a given house nt to live in safety of
plan, the floor plan may determine the direction of ridgelines, residence
with the roof style dictating the direction and tilt of roof surfaces. and to
prevent
For example, a simple floor plan with a side-to-side ridgeline and thieves
a gable style roof would have front and back roof surfaces only. T • Weather • Local laws • Span of
A hip style roof would have front, back, left, and right roof and and paints,
surfaces. Aside from the roof surface areas, availability for changing of regulations roof etc.
rooftop solar (PV and/or SHW) may be limited by issues such as climate
aesthetic acceptability of placing collectors on a particular roof
surface (say, the front roof).

D. SITE ANALYSIS

NATURAL CULTURAL AESTHETIC

FACTOR FACTOR FACTOR
S • Trees on • Existing • Along the
help for water and main road
shading electrical for easy
and lines access to
flooding site
W • Possible • Having • High
areas on staff maintenan
site prone personel to ce cost
to flooding clean up
the site
• Realible
workers to
build a
houses
O • Areas are • Providing • To build a
sufficient transportati playgroun
for events on for d, mini
and to give mobility park and
a good around site clubhouse
accomodati • Providing for the
on and security to residence