Geomilie Tumamao-Guittap

advisor

https://surp.upd.edu.ph/

Filipino

Believing in the significant role building professionals play in shaping the character, form, and… more

Dear Sara Jozale:

First off, thank you for your patience, as it took me some time to respond to this request for feedback.

The project is well-thought, and for that, I commend your efforts. There a range of units to fit different contexts and family situations; including those with disabilities. There is an effort to recognize that family sizes vary, and with it, the need to have diverse housing options. You might want to consider developing a housing unit where more members are elderly or need some assistive devices in their daily lives.

I would like to point out the need for common play spaces for children and adults. These can be among pockets of greens with some areas for active play and some passive relaxation. These spaces allow for neighbors to interact outside their homes, enabling them to build connections and develop better community rapport. This is important because housing projects are actually community-building endeavors. It goes much deeper than putting a roof over people's heads.

I love the fact that you have clustered the housing units so that you can have ample space for vegetation. Do not waste these pockets of green. Imbue these with purpose: have some areas sunken for rainwater management, play space, shading for the surrounding buildings, etc. These details actually help improve the overall livability in the community and its sustainability. You may also want to consider edible landscaping in the area to improve food access. Add some features that incorporate edutainment (a portmanteau for education and entertainment) for young children to facilitate learning and interactive fun.

Housing developments also interface with transportation, access, and circulation. It might be worthwhile to consider both non-motorized and motorized forms of transportation in your design. Walking and biking are still the healthiest, most environmentally-friendly options for getting around the neighborhood. You might want to incorporate more of these in most parts of the community. Making some of the road right-of-way for cars narrower, while adding wider footpaths and protected bicycle lanes will add to the diversity of transportation options within the community. This also improves road safety for the more vulnerable members of the community, such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and those with disabilities.

Finally, I would like to ask that you consider some communal facilities where social activities can be undertaken jointly, some shops for necessities may be purchased, and some services may be availed. In this day and age where pooling resources is prudent, it may be wise to consider how certain activities can be shared or co-owned so that it can be accessed in a more affordable manner.

Again, I would like to commend your hard work and creativity. I look forward to your works in the future.

Best regards,

Geomilie Tumamao-Guittap