CHAPTER I

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Introduction

Living up to this day in age without advancement is impossible since science and

technology progress spreads. Existence changes in minutes; something new appears

every single day that makes human life easier and more comfortable in some aspects. A

collection of techniques, skills, methods, and processes used in producing goods and

services or in the accomplishment of objectives are referred to as technology. It can be a

knowledge of techniques and processes or embedded in machines that allow operating

without detailed knowledge of their workings.

Modern technology is one of the important areas that the business needs to

consider. It is because technological advancements are pivotal in enhancing business

around the globe. Modern technology stimulates most of the business activities around

the world. The reason behind this argument is that its extensive use to conduct a business

starting from transacting people from far distances. Technology has given the world an

outlook of a global interacting society where people could exchange and access ideas and

vital information.

Information Technology Park (IT Park) is similar to industrial parks or estates, an

area where buildings and facilities are designed for housing information science and

technology-related firms which provide an infrastructure for very high-speed

telecommunications (Business Dictionary). Aside from serving the purpose of

technological advancement, it also aims to bring up the economic status of the country

where it functions.

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 The U.P-Ayala TechnoHub is an information technology hub jointly developed

by the University of the Philippines Diliman and property developer Ayala Land. It offers

opportunities to the thousands of fresh graduates as well as the lack of quality business

setting for start-up and small-scale businesses. TechnoHub provides office spaces for

both start-up and multinational IT and BPO companies in a campus setting, complete

with support facilities required by these IT and BPO locators (Fernandez, Hui, Sio,

2010).

San Jose is a first-class municipality in the province of Occidental Mindoro,

Philippines. It is viable for being a commercial center among the municipalities of

Occidental Mindoro. San Jose continuously grows its population, yet the opportunities

are insufficient. Consequently, the proposed study will lessen unemployment through

Technohub development. It will provide and enhance the employment rate of the

municipality of San Jose, as well as promote and boost the tourism industry, and help

elevate the economic status. It will also serve as one of the landmarks of San Jose that

can raise the municipality into a central place or business hub of Occidental Mindoro.

The researchers came up with the study, A Proposed San Jose TechnoHub, to

design under applicable design parameters, alongside with the utilization of Biophilic

design approach. People’s connection with nature is the main concept of the study

approach. The study aims to provide possible architectural and alternative solutions like

designing healthy spaces including offices that promote employees’ health, high

attendance, expert productivity, and low turnover to provide light-controlled structures

that can light-in building and enhance the wellness of its users and workers. Moreover,

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this research provide an economic design consideration that focuses towards achieving

successful design quality rather than achieving prosperous economic expectations.

Objectives of the Study

The general objective of the study is to offer a facility that can give opportunities

through Information Technology enabled Services (ITeS), business, and education which

can stimulate economic vitality in the municipality of San Jose through a nature

responsive architecture.

Specifically, it adheres to achieve the following:

1. To design a TechnoHub that could cater the residents of San Jose and may

also serve nearby municipalities;

2. To provide a call center facility that give job opportunities for the

professionals and students among universities in San Jose;

3. To provide a business center that offers technology-based services and

promote local goods of San Jose coming from start-up and small-scale

businesses;

4. To provide a technology-based learning facility as part of the project of

the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT);

and

5. To develop a plan on how nature could interact with the structure, and

most especially to the users through the application of biophilic design

approach.

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Conceptual Framework

A process will be created to guide the proponent on the conduct of the study. The

study will begin with problem identification and considers factors as input such as

relevant codes, laws, rules and regulations, and site conditions coming from the research,

investigations, case studies, and relevant information. Data analyzing of gathered

information through deep interpretation and assumption as the process will lead to review

execution, justification and implementation, and evaluation for the design solution. The

study will then enhance by the existence of a concept that resulted in “EKONOLOHIYA:

A Proposed San Jose TechnoHub- Emerging Growth Sectors of Economy through

Information Technology” as an output.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Users of the proposed

San Jose Technohub
 Conditions and Ekonolohiya: A
considerations of the Proposed San
proposed site for the  Documentation and
Jose
Synthesis
Technohub TechnoHub -
 Data Gathering
 Biophilic design (Research, interviews, Emerging
approach for the survey & case studies) Growth Sectors
proposed Technohub  Analysis of Gathered of Economy
 Laws, Rules, and Information & Data through
Regulations of  Evaluation and Design Information
TechnoHub Solution Technology
 Guidelines &
Considerations for
TechnoHub

Fig.1. Research paradigm.

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Significance of the Study

The proposed study titled “Ekonolohiya: A Proposed San Jose TechnoHub-

Emerging Growth Sectors of Economy through Information Technology” will be created

to come up with possible architectural solutions providing convenient spaces for

businesses, learning, and leisure to the users. The study will contribute in promoting and

preparing the municipality in a new dawn of technology-based structure.

The proposed study will benefit the future architecture students, for it will

enlighten and inform them of the ideas imposed on this study. This study is composed of

innovations on how architecture could provide possible solutions that can be applied to

solve the problem.

The municipality of San Jose will primarily benefit the proposed project. It will

house both local business providers and future investors, resulting in multiple job

opportunities of different expertise, taking advantage of local goods and services, and the

labor force. This will provide an area in which start-up and small-scale businesses could

grow their operations by promoting industry and academic linkages. It will enable them

face challenges of competition and business development as part of their incubation

process. It will also serve as training grounds for students in the university, producing a

new breed of professionals. It will generate substantial revenues for the local government

through linkages of growth sectors of the economy, which will boost the economic

development and tourism promotion, for the municipalities’ long term benefits and

cityhood preparation.

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Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study will only focus on the municipality of San Jose. It mainly concentrates

on the development of TechnoHub that will lead to economic development as the

fundamental benefit. It will include developmental responses aligned to the main goal

and functions such as for business, leisure, and learning grounds. Furthermore, it will

present architectural solutions that are applicable with regard to considered factors

affecting the development of the proposed project. For the project to achieve its main

purpose, it will include essential facilities in improving IT-enabled services, amenities,

and activities that could bring harmonious relationships among workers, customers, and

service providers.

The study will circulate on architectural aspects of the buildings like, Green and

Sustainability of the Building Approach that is beneficial to the users, society and future

generations. The key concepts within this design value are: energy conservation, resource

management, recycling, cradle-to-cradle and toxic free materials. And the Vernacular

Design aspect is based on a belief that a simple life and its design, closely linked to

nature, are superior to that of modernity, basically on the design of the structure. The

architectural characteristics of the building will be analyzed for the proposed

development.

The study is limited to the effectiveness and acceptability of the building to the

applied approach given that it is also limited to the environmental conditions' adaptation.

The exact cost estimate, bearing capacity and the likes, known as engineering systems

will not be discussed in this study. Therefore, specialists in every field of study such as

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electrical, mechanical, sanitary, and engineering will not be the principal concern of this

study.

Operational Definition of Terms

The following terminologies are used throughout the thesis and are elucidated for

better understanding:

Biophilic. It refers to hypothetical human tendency to interact or an approach that

the researchers applied as research focus that aims to connect building occupants more

closely to nature for it has various benefits.

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO). It is the main platform of the project that

will help offer multiple opportunities to the people of San Jose and refers to a subset of

outsourcing used for contracting the operations and responsibilities for a particular

business process to a third-party service provider.

Computer Technology Resources. It is a general term referring to any computer,

Internet or Web-based resource that is used in e-library and call center facility as means

for providing services, achieving the goal of the DICT, and as part of the technohub in

providing technology-based learning facility.

Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT). It

refers to the agency of the Philippine government responsible for the planning,

development and promotion of the country's information and communications

technology (ICT) agenda in support of national development.

Ekonolohiya. It is used as the name of the proposed project that refers to a

combination of two Tagalog word ekonomiya (economy) and teknolohiya (technology).

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 Information Technology. It is used as medium to optimize a hassle free

communication in reaching-out the customers as well as potential customers to connect,

educate, engage, and provide support.

Innovation. It refers to the idea used for the proposed project to function

continuously.

Investors. It refers to someone who occupied the space provided by the proposed

technohub to grow their operations.

San Jose. It refers to the place where the site is located.

San Joseños. It refers to the people of San Jose who are the target users of the

project.