CENTRO: Fostering a Forefront Metropolis in the South through

a Proposed BPO Building, Dormitel and Retail Complex

CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING | UMAHON, M.P.C.

CHAPTER I

The Problem and Its Background

1.1 Introduction

Companies of all shapes, sizes and industries accommodated by commercial

hubs help in its own success by the collaboration opportunities and elevated brand

presence from the right location of their businesses. A commercial hub is an area of

land in which many office buildings and other additional amenities are grouped together.

These developments leads to greater business accommodation variety and density;

reduced distances between housing, workplaces, retail businesses, and other

destinations; more compact development; and stronger neighbourhood character. The

essentiality of a commercial hub is that it brings people closer to the things that they

need on a day-to-day basis.

According to the Philippine Constitution, individuals and private groups, including

corporations, cooperatives, and similar collective organizations, shall have the right to

own, establish, and operate economic enterprises to promote distributive justice and to

intervene when the common good so demands. The State shall promote the preferential

use of Filipino labor, domestic materials and locally produced goods, and adopt

measures that help make them competitive.

The commercial developments in the Philippines, specifically Metro Manila, set a

standard in urban regeneration projects within a city where the highest levels and most

progressive visions of urban life must be taken into consideration. The progression of

these developments will mushroom in other key cities and fringe areas sooner or later

even though there is more space in Metro Manila.

The proliferation of emerging urban districts, not only in Metro Manila but in other

key urban areas in the country, is the focus of many property developers that expertise

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on mixed-use developments. The most of the up and coming centers are “in the

CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) area.

The City of Biñan is a first class component city in the Republic of the

Philippines. It has become both a suburban residential community of Metro Manila and a

location for some of the Philippines' largest industrial estates and export processing

zones. Biñan has been popularly recognized as the trading center area immediately

south of Metro Manila. Retailers from nearby towns often go to the city proper to

purchase goods and merchandise intended to be sold elsewhere. Biñan has also been

the center of commerce in the region because of the numerous banking institutions

across the city, plus the ever-growing number of commercial establishments and

emerging shopping centers.

The research study focuses on the proposed commercial hub located in Biñan,

Laguna that will administer a development that is innovated, yet considers the

environmental impact of the technology of today. The buildings that will be featured in

the development are BPO Building, Dormitel, and Retail Complex.

1.2 Background of the Study

Living in the city can be exhilarating: the fast-paced life, the close proximity to

commerce, leisure, and entertainment, and the everyday hustle and bustle. More and

more buildings sprout like mushrooms around the Metro, the traffic quickly builds up,

malls get more congested, and parks and patches of greenery are sparse. As more

urbanites seek out alternatives to city living, modern cities in the south are offering a

more laid back atmosphere with all the convenience offered by a modern city. Often

dismissed by many as provincial, the recent boom in development in the area is proving

that people still have all the convenience and access you get in the congested city but

with a more balanced atmosphere.

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The proposed project caters shopping retail park, dormitel, IT-BPO towers, etc.

These amenities will help promote tourism of the city not lacking the necessities of the

people.

One of the best things about living in the South is that it is vicinal to weekend

destinations. In addition to its close proximity to weekend destinations, it is also

conveniently accessible to and from cosmopolitan areas like Makati and Bonifacio

Global City. The planned Skyway extension and other government infrastructure projects

like the highly anticipated Intermodal Transport System (ITS) make the south more

accessible. The ITS will make commuting easier and less of a hassle as it targets to

provide 4,000 buses to cater to 200,000 commuters daily. It will serve as a central

station linking commuters from other regions such as Laguna, Batangas, Quezon, and

Bicol to the metro.

Metro Manila is known for being the region with the highest levels of air pollution

in the Philippines due to the high density of man-made pollutants: smoke belching motor

vehicles, cigarette smoke, industrial buildings and factories, and improper waste

management to name a few. Air pollution is a major contributor to health problems and

according to a report released by the World Health Organization it causes more deaths

world wide than AIDS and malaria combined (more than 6 million people in 2012).

Since there are very few remaining large-scale parcels of land left in Metro

Manila, available space is being maximized by developers to create smart, mixed-used,

and diversified cities. Due to the close proximity of everything in the south there is a

stronger sense of community that is noticeably lacking in the city. When running day-to-

day errands you are bound to run into a familiar face or two. Social circles are more

interconnected because everyone is either someone’s friend or friend of a friend.

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CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING | UMAHON, M.P.C.

With clearer and wider roads, the cities in the south encourage more walking and

less driving. Shopping and working can be outdone at the same time provided that these

vicinities only require people to walk. It is also better for the environment as walking to

places rather than driving or commuting will lessen your carbon footprint. Cities that

encourage walking also contribute to a healthier and less sedentary lifestyle. This is why

new cities are making sure to devote 40% of the total area to greener, open spaces.

More green spaces also mean more areas for people to engage in outdoor activities and

sports such as soccer, ultimate Frisbee, running, and biking.

The south is no longer as provincial as city dwellers used to think. Comparable to

the Fort used to be merely military bases and is now a center for business, commerce,

and entertainment the scale of development is continuing to migrate south. Major

businesses such as call centers and even multinational corporations have set up

headquarters in the business parks in the area. Lifestyle and entertainment areas are

also expanding and giving southerners many options to enjoy their leisure time on the

weekends. With all these reasons it is easy to see why developers are keeping an eye

on the south and people, business, commerce, and lifestyle centers are moving

southward.

The business process outsourcing industry in the Philippines has grown 46%

annually since 2006. This boom is led by demand for lower labor costs, a highly skilled

and educated work force, and high proficiency in spoken English. This triggers that the

country needs a facility to the growing need for IT-BPO buildings.

Biñan is envisioned to be a major industrial and urban center as it currently hosts

globally competitive industries and it intensifies commercial and economic

developments. Most of the major developments are led by the private sector while public

sector takes a reactive mode due to limitations such as financial resources. The city of

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CHAPTER I: THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING | UMAHON, M.P.C.

Biñan will have a sustainable “industry and service driven” economy that will also be

sensitive to the environment. It will have a globally competitive, highly skilled and

educated citizenry that will be efficiently provided with social and infrastructure services.

Commercial developments in Biñan define no impossibilities as it accommodates

numerous industrial parks and furnishes small and medium scale industries. The

government has increased national funds for the city’s transportation and infrastructure

given its linkages such as the National Highway, Philippine National Railway and the

Laguna Lake. Innumerable private institutions and universities make the city more

convenient for families to settle in. Also, the city characterizes its hierarchy of

commercial centers attracting different investors.

1.3 Significance of the Study

Through this study, the proposed commercial hub will boost and improve the city

of Biñan. It will also benefit the following:

To the community members of Biñan, the proposed commercial hub will provide

more job opportunities. Improving their way of life and prospering their economic growth

will be endowed to the locality. The study will deliberately use principles and approaches

that will also improve the environment and prevent natural phenomena.

To the city government of Biñan, the study can help utilize the findings to make

new ordinances that can be implemented not only on the selected site, but also to the

related future developments in the city. These developments can make the city an eye

for future tourists and other urbanites.

To the future occupants of the proposed commercial hub, the study will provide a

one-stop hub for where all the necessities are present. Investors from different business

industries will be attracted to the proposed site as it offers a design approach in which

the business operations will be lively and continuous.

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To the future researchers may use the data and information for their related

studies. This study will contribute to share important details pertaining to mixed-use

developments and application to the design proper. This study can be a tool for

researchers to improve the city of Biñan.

1.4 Objectives of the Study

The objectives of the study are sectioned into two parts such as the project

objectives and the design objectives. This matter is presented for readers to perceive

why the study is conducted.

1.4.1 Project Objectives

The aim of the work construed in this paper is to establish an expedient

commercial hub that will not only attain economic and dynamic structures as well as the

improvement of the surrounding area and the people around the vicinity. The study

objectives include:

1.4.1.1 To promote the Philippines’ business industry enticing foreign and

local business investors.

1.4.1.2 To administer solutions to the existing and future problems that

Biñan is facing in achieving high qualifications for business

accommodations.

1.4.1.3 To ascertain a cordial liaison with the authority for future ventures

beneficial to the community.

1.4.1.4 To cope up with the business industry demands through providing an

eminent business accommodation that will help the country’s

economic development.

1.4.1.5 To constitute job opportunities for the people of Biñan City, Laguna.

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1.4.2 Design Objectives

The study is intended to provide an advanced approach in implementing design

applications that will result to an efficient commercial hub. The following objectives

include provident considerations and goals to be accomplished:

1.4.2.1 To preserve the natural landscape of the site.

1.4.2.2 To incorporate the local climate and indigenous materials that can be

found in the site.

1.4.2.3 To utilize the given scenery, natural resources and landscape in the

design proper.

1.4.2.4 To promote rich culture of the city of Biñan and create a distinct

character in architecture.

1.4.2.5 To provide efficient spaces for the future occupants of the

commercial hub.

1.4.2.6 To apply dynamic architecture and interactive architecture that will

complement the site making it the key element of the hub to attract

urbanites to patronize the commercial hub, also considering the

implementation of green architecture to the design.

1.4.2.7 To set specialized standards for commercial hubs that will help

promote the city of Biñan as a major industrial and urban center.

1.5 Statement of the Problem

The problems for this study included five major problems and three minor

problems which were structured to further offer insights to the major problem.

1.5.1 Major Problems

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1.5.1.1 What is the best and suitable design for the proposed

commercial hub that attends the needs of the people in Biñan?

1.5.1.2 In pursuing the study, what are the factors that can affect the

design and development of the proposed project?

1.5.1.3 How will the project affect the related industries along the nearby

cities?

1.5.2 Minor Problems

1.5.2.1 In what ways will the development re-establish the city in terms

of its decentralization of growth and decrease in overall

congestion of town center?

1.5.2.2 The competition of the development with its neighbouring city is

greatly affecting the proposed project. How will the proposed

project stand out from the rest?

1.5.2.3 What are the amenities needed to ensure the populace a more

comfortable and better shopping point?

1.6 Theoretical Framework

“As an architect you design for the present, with an awareness of the past, for a

future which is essentially unknown.”

– Norman Foster

“Architecture should speak of its time and place, but yearn for timelessness”.

– Frank Gehry

Architecture is a design process generating solutions to existing and future

problems with consideration of the history of the area. One should design creating a

distinct recognition of the area and the current time. The design should be timeless.

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People should describe the place through their experience on the building/structure

itself. This is the most genuine and sincere description building could receive.

1.7 Conceptual Framework

Problems Encountered Principles of Green Buildings

Major Problems: Site and its surroundings

Design Approach
Factors that Affects the
Proposed Project
Related Industries
Planning Strategies
Effects of the Proposed
Project
Energy Efficiency
Water Efficiency
Material Efficiency
Indoor Air Quality
Waste Reduction
Low maintenance costs

Minor Problems:
Ways of Re-establishing
the city Design Concept: Proposed BPO
\

Competitive Similar Origami (Form) Building, Dormitel

Attractions Fish Scales (Façade) and Retail Complex in
Amenities Needed Biñan City, Laguna

Input Process Output

Figure 1.0 Conceptual Paradigm

It is envisioned as a globally-competitive business district equipped with state-of-

the-art facilities specifically designed to answer the needs of the BPO industry. The

commercial hub will also launch a retail complex that will feature a unique mix of dining

choices and family-oriented activities and a variety of shops. Establishing tourism in

Biñan, the designer will cater a condotel that will address the needs of accommodation

in the city.

1.8 Scope and Limitation

The study focuses on the proposed commercial hub which includes physical,

environmental, social and economical aspect of the project.

This study comprises the following:

1. Architectural Planning and Design

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2. Site Planning

3. Economic Feasibility Study of Development

4. Project Cost and Return of Investment

The scopes of the development of the project are the following:

1. BPO Tower

2. Retail Complex

3. Dormitel

4. Central Plaza

5. Administration Building

Delimitations

The proponent focused her study on the architectural aspects, but utilized vital

facts so that it supported the concept or as required. This study was limited on details

regarding engineering works such as detailed mechanical, electrical, structural, seismic

analysis on the reaction of the structure to earthquake, plumbing, sanitary designs, and

specifications writing of materials used unless supporting details were provided to

support the design concept.

1.9 Definition of Terms

The findings of this study were applied in a practical manner as a guide for

designing the proposed commercial hub. Prior to a review of the literature relevant to the

research and design project, definitions are provided for several key terms that are used

throughout this thesis.

The following terms are conceptually or operationally defined to enhance the

understanding of the readers of this study.

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Amenity. According to Webster, it is the pleasant or normally satisfactory aspects of a

location which contribute to its overall character and enjoyment of residents or

visitors.

Block Plans. It is a plan showing position of any existing and/or proposed buildings

within a site as a whole. Site levels may also be shown on this plan.

Business District. A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business

centre of a city. In larger cities, it is often synonymous with the city's "financial

district".

Business Process Outsourcing. It is the delegation of one or more IT-intensive

business processes to an external provider that, in turn, owns, administrates and

manages the selected processes based on defined and measurable performance

metrics.

Cost-Efficient. It refers to a measure of how effectively parallel computing can be used

to solve a particular problem as defined by Webster.

Departure. It is a proposed development which in not in accordance with the local plan.

Development. It is the carrying out of building, engineering, mining or other operations

in, on, over or under land, or the making of any material change of use of any

buildings or land.

Development Plan. The Development Plan sets out our policies for the development

and use of land within the City. This includes the Structure Plan and the Local

Plan, both of which are important when determining planning applications.

Dormitel. A dormitory is a building that has rooms where students/workers can live as

their real homes are far away from the schools or offices.

Energy-Efficient. It is the goal to reduce the amount of energy required to provide

products and services.

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Garden City. It is a method of urban planning that was intended to be planned, self-

contained.

Green Building. It refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally

responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle.

Hierarchy of Development. It is a planning application submitted to the authority will fall

into one of three tiers of decision making. Applications will either be classed as

local, major or national developments. The level chosen is related to the scale

and significance of the development.

Hotel. As defined in Webster, it is an establishment that provides lodging and usually

meals, entertainment, and various personal services for the public.

Hub. It is the central and most active part or place.

Interactive Architecture. It can be defined as the total integration of the disciplines of

interaction design and architecture

Infrastructure. They are permanent resources serving society's needs, including roads,

sewers, schools, hospitals, railways etc.

Land Use. It is the human use of land. Land use involves the management and

modification of natural environment or wilderness into built environment such as

settlements and semi-natural habitats such as arable fields, pastures, and

managed woods.

Local Development. These are applications classed as 'local' will normally be

determined under delegated powers given to case officers.

Mixed-use Development. It is any urban, suburban or village development, or even a

single building, that blends a combination of residential, commercial, cultural,

institutional, or industrial uses, where those functions are physically and

functionally integrated, and that provides pedestrian connections.

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New Urbanism. It promotes the creation and restoration of diverse, walkable, compact,

vibrant, mixed-use communities composed of the same components as

conventional development, but assembled in a more integrated fashion, in the

form of complete communities.

Townscape. This is the appearance and character of buildings and all other features of

an urban area taken together as a whole.

Urban Regeneration. It is the reuse or redevelopment of decaying or rundown parts of

older urban areas to bring them new life and economic vitality.

Xeriscape. It is landscaping and gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for

supplemental water from irrigation.

Zoning. It relates to the division of an area into zones, as to restrict the number and

types of buildings and their uses.

1.10 Acronyms

BPO – Business Processing Unit

CBD – Central Business District

CLUDP – Comprehensive Land Use and Development Plan

DENR – Department of Environment and Natural Resources

DILG – Department Interior and Local Government

DOTC – Department of Transportation and Communication

DTI – Department of Trade and Industry

FAR – Floor Area Ratio

HLURB – Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board

IT – Information Technology

LIIP – Laguna International Industrial Park

MPDC – Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator

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MPDO – Municipal Planning Development Office

NEDA – National Economic Development Authority

PEZA – Philippine Economic Zone Authority

PNR – Philippine National Railway

SEC – Securities and Exchange Commission

SEZ – Special Economic Zone

SLEX – South Luzon Expressway

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