Uploaded on 2014-11-24 by TomcarIII

[1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14168226242438699.png Photo courtesy of rappler.com Though there are big projects or urban scale projects in the country, I haven't known much of them or their details. This project that I share is not an urban-scale type or territorial scale project. This is a study-proposal for Cagayan de Oro City. This project won the Livable Cities Design Competition Philippines sponsored by the National Competitiveness Council Philippines and USAID. This project "Oro Central" bested other cities in the Government Evacuation Center Category. This project is also inclined with developing cities in the Philippines. This project is composed of a 4-storey building classrooms, office spaces, laboratories, multimedia library and parks with sustainable features such as natural lighting, natural ventilation, solar panels and rainwater catchment. I think what made this building stood out is its multi-functional spaces which allowed the classrooms and other facilities such as parking spaces to double as evacuation centers or stress-debriefing areas especially when calamity strikes the city. Concern for the usual flooding is avoided as it is located in the elevated parts of the city and has pharmacy and stores near its vicinity. The project is commendable as the usual public schools in Philippine cities are flooded or are easily destroyed when earthquake strikes and that these classrooms are the usual evacuation centers. However, Oro Central solved all of these problems. This project has been done by architects, planners, students, architecture graduates (who were my classmates) and other stakeholders who have interest in this project. I think the project won because of a great deal of consultancy which is imperative for each project. I believe that planners and architects will not know everything and they will be in need of those people who are not directly linked to architecture or design but will significantly contribute to the study of the project. I commend this project because it means that a lot of people now in the Philippines are aware of building design or urban design. Urban design or city planning is not a popular political agenda in the Philippines so it means that most of the time it is taken for granted or that the laws that support them are not in full implementation. I think that what my city needs is that people would learn to appreciate sound urban planning and be part of the stakeholders. I believe a good approach would be a combination of top-down and a bottom-up approach in addressing urban or city design needs. From the previous discussion, I learned that developing an urban design is a very complicated process and it should involve every stakeholder. I believe design proposals such as Oro Central will somehow enlighten the people and the government to develop an urban design scheme for the proper development of the city and with adequate involvement from all sectors of the city.