UNIVERSITY OF THE CORDILLERAS

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

AR 424 SPECIALIZATION 02
TF 3:30 P.M. – 7:30 P.M.

GROUP TASK MT.001

“CURRENT ISSUES RELATED TO URBAN DESIGN”

DATE GIVEN: July 10, 2021

DATE DUE: July 11, 2021, 11:59 P.M.
DATE SUBMITTED: July 11, 2021

REFERENCE/S:

Facca, A. (2013). How Planners Plan for Historic Preservation (Planning for Historic
Preservation). Retrieved July 11, 2021 from https://plannersweb.com/2013/03/how-
planners-plan-for-historic-preservation/

Baker, J. & Watanabe, M. (2017). Unlocking the Philippines’ Urbanization Potential.

Retrieved July 11, 2021 from https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/unlocking-the-
philippines-urbanization-potential

Historic Preservation. (2019). The WBDG Historic Preservation Subcommittee. Retrieved

July 11, 2021 from https://www.wbdg.org/design-objectives/historic-preservation

BUMMOSAO, BRIVIE
CABFORO, MELANIE
INBENTAN, JOY LIPADAN,
CHARLOTTE ANN A.

ARCH. IRENE G. FLORENDO, MSAR, UAP

 I. CHOSEN ARTICLE

HOW PLANNERS PLAN FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION

(PLANNING FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION) BY AMY FACCA
Facca, A. (2013). How Planners Plan for Historic Preservation (Planning for Historic
Preservation). Retrieved July 11, 2021 from https://plannersweb.com/2013/03/how-
planners-plan-for-historic-preservation/

The most fundamental plan for any community is the COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.

“If you’re a planning commissioner, you’re probably already familiar with the
various elements of your community’s comprehensive plan and understand that
one of the plan’s primary functions is to provide direction for future
development and growth.”

Comprehensive plans also provide background information and establish a solid

basis for planning and zoning decisions and capital investment.

The Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Comprehensive Plan

(Unfortunately, many comprehensive plans gloss over these topics, providing not
much more than a brief description about the community’s historical
development or a few paragraphs about local properties listed in the National
Register of Historic Places.

However, as interest in smart growth and protecting community character has

grown, cities and towns are increasingly incorporating information about their
historic resources and historic preservation into various sections of their
comprehensive plans — including those addressing housing, neighborhood and
commercial district revitalization, zoning and land use, and economic
development.)

As a growing number of communities have recognized and pursued the

benefits of historic preservation, they are also increasingly preparing HISTORIC
PRESERVATION PLANS. These plans can be developed as part of (or
in conjunction with) a comprehensive plan, or as a stand-alone document. They
focus specifically on making history, heritage, and historic character strong
building blocks for revitalization, growth, tourism, and job creation.
In places where a historic preservation program or activities already exist, a
preservation plan usually evaluates the effectiveness of existing actions and
makes recommendations for their improvement or expansion.

If historic preservation is entirely new to a community, the planning process will

provide a forum for discussion and education about issues related to historic
resources and development. It will help reconnect the community with its
history, inform people about various preservation tools and strategies, and if
appropriate, outline policies and actions for identifying, protecting, enhancing,
and promoting the community’s historic and cultural resources.

More planning tool than actual plan, a HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY may or
may not be prepared as part of a comprehensive or preservation planning
process. These surveys help communities identify historic properties and place
them in the local, state, and/or national historic context.

Through field work, a survey team identifies an area’s important historic

resources — buildings, parks, structures, neighborhoods, monuments,
and archaeological sites — that are located in a defined area such as a
neighborhood, village, or agricultural region, or along a transportation route or
watershed. Researching the properties’ historical background reveals how they
are connected with important local history themes, such as industrial
development or the growth of residential suburbs.

Further assessment leads to an understanding of which properties should be

protected and how to incorporate preservation goals into community planning
efforts. This knowledge is critical for public and private decision-making about
the protection and preservation of our heritage. Planning officials use the
information contained in historic resource surveys to make decisions about
where historic preservation strategies will be most effective.

Many communities begin their revitalization efforts by preparing DOWNTOWN

REVITALIZATION STRATEGIES OR PLANS. They’ve often been inspired by the
effectiveness of the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street
revitalization program and the rapid growth and success of “buy local”
programs. Downtown plans examine all aspects of a community’s commercial
district, with the planning process designed to engage diverse segments of the
community in its rebirth.
The Goldsboro Master Plan
Downtown plans generally seek to address challenges related to physical
conditions and aesthetics, re-establishing downtown as a dynamic tourism,
dining, and entertainment destination, and strengthening existing businesses
and encouraging new businesses.

And, last but by no means least, CULTURAL PLANS quantify and put into context
a community’s creative economy, based on recognition that this sector can
also stimulate job creation, growth, tourism, and other benefits. Cultural plans
focus and build on a community’s unique blend of:

• Museums and heritage;

• Building, culinary, visual and performing arts;
• Media and communications;
• Arts education;
• Crafts and folklore;
• Writing;
• Graphic arts and designed products;
• Digital games and media; and
• Film

Often coordinated by or at the direction of arts organizations, cultural plans

have most commonly been developed for larger cities, regions, and states —
but they are increasingly being prepared by smaller communities.

“Now that we’ve completed this brief overview, I’d like to emphasize that all of
these plans involve a thoughtful, structured, community-wide fact-finding and
consensus-building process to assess community needs and develop a plan of
action. They vary considerably in size and scope, depending on the resources
and needs of the community. They can be simple, brief documents prepared by
dedicated volunteers representing various segments of the community or
complex, or multi-volume plans prepared by professional staff or consultants.
The key thing to remember is that a plan of action is a critical starting point for
improving any community.”
II. CURRENT/PRESENT ISSUES IN URBAN DESIGN

HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Historic Preservation. (2019). The WBDG Historic Preservation Subcommittee. Retrieved
July 11, 2021 from https://www.wbdg.org/design-objectives/historic-preservation

Integrating Historic Preservation Concerns With Safety/Security Issues

“We live and work in a changed environment: a world in which safety and
security concerns have been elevated to their highest level since the founding
of our nation. Preservation practitioners must now be concerned with the safety
of an historic building's occupants, as well as the security of equipment and
data.”

It is inevitable that the needs of historic preservation as established by the

Secretary of the Interior will come into conflict with new federal guidelines and
requirements for anti-terrorism force protection.

For example, windows and fenestration details may be character-defining

aspects intrinsic to an historic structure; however, it has become a universally-
accepted fact that the majority of human injuries in an explosion are the direct
result of exposure to high-velocity glass shards. Windows and openings in historic
buildings that are vulnerable to possible terrorist activity may need to be
reinforced to protect life and property. The US Army Corps of Engineers is
performing experiments with various solutions to the problem of window glass
failure in explosions and other terrorism-related activities.
The need to meet safety and security requirements in historic buildings is critical
when considering the necessary space between structures and public roads
and parking areas.

Historic Atlantic City Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey

Photos courtesy of the National Park Service.
 SUPPORTING ARTICLE: UNLOCKING THE PHILIPPINES’
URBANIZATION POTENTIAL

Baker, J. & Watanabe, M. (2017). Unlocking the Philippines’ Urbanization Potential.

Retrieved July 11, 2021 from https://blogs.worldbank.org/eastasiapacific/unlocking-the-
philippines-urbanization-potential

The Philippines is one of the fastest urbanizing countries in East Asia and the
Pacific. This can bring many opportunities for growth and poverty reduction.
Cities become engines of growth if well planned and well managed.

Rapid urbanization in the Philippines has brought new jobs, educational

opportunities, and better living conditions for some. However, it has also brought
challenges, which you’ll see when you move around the streets of Metro Manila.
It’s a large sprawling metropolitan area of over 12 million, with congestion that is
estimated to cost US$70 million (₱3.5 billion) a day. When it rains, streets and
homes are quickly flooded because many drains are clogged or non-existent.
Because of lack of affordable housing, an estimated 11 percent of the city’s
population live in slums. With 17 cities and municipalities in the metropolitan
area, trying to tackle these challenges becomes stuck in deep complexities of
urban governance and management. While other cities in the Philippines don’t
face the scale of these challenges, they tackle similar issues.

If key stakeholders in the Philippines, namely government, the private sector,

and civil society -working in partnership - can take on these challenges with a
needed urgency for action starting with top priorities, there is so much that is
possible. Cities can indeed become engines for competitive, sustainable and
inclusive growth, giving residents new opportunities with the potential for lasting
impact.

A. How is historic preservation related to the current/present

issues in urban design in the Philippine setting? (GROUP
ANSWER)

Commercialization & modernization of historical structures. For example, the

structures turned into a brand-new mix-use commercial complex or a
condominium may arise in the location. Urban districts and provincial town have
lost that sense of place because there is a saying that anything new is better
than anything old.
Urban places in the Philippines tends to adopt the worldwide trend that
promotes Modernization and Commercialization this unfortunately led to some
cities to loose their own sense of historical identity.

The past century has been one of unprecedented change in terms of impact
on the urban environment. Globalization, rapid uncontrolled development,
demographic changes, and economic pressures are the main factors driving
change in the urban environment,
which directly impacts the preservation of historic urban environments.
Immigration and population growth leads to rapid urban expansion and
increased density within historic areas, while smaller rural centers are suffering
from emigration resulting in obsolescence, abandonment and/or stagnation.

In history, the Philippines was colonized by several foreign countries making our
country to have different planning and structural styles. Many historical places
were built and are still standing up until today but sadly as time passed by, the
preservation of this historical places are being set aside because of
modernization and commercialization that was being adopted.

Example 1: In the city of Baguio, there are historical places that was preserved
and on the other side, some places was full-modernized but not to the extent of
over powering the place’s identity.

Example 2: One good example of historic preservation is the Vigan City in Ilocos
Sur wherein the preservation of the place and it’s original features is the priority
of the people, what we need to learn from this is modernization and
commercialization is important but it is more important that we have to respect
and preserve the history of a place.

It is important to preserve the Filipino cultural heritage because it shows us a

purpose and meaning of our lifestyle then and now. It showcases our beliefs and
traditions; gives form and shape to our values, customs and aspirations; and
mold and ensure our identity as Filipinos.

B. Is there a big gap in the practice of Urban Design? (GROUP

ANSWER)

Yes, there is a big gap in the practice of Urban Design. As mentioned in the
article, historic preservation focuses specifically on making history, heritage, and
historic character strong building blocks for revitalization, growth, tourism, and
job creation. The author of the article also listed Historic Preservation Strategies
that was used in planning in the Comprehensive plan of Bethlehem in the year
of 2008. In urban designing, it is not all about building structures for a living.
This is why we have some design considerations to follow in our architectural
programming to give respect, relationship/connection with our own
environment and society. These design considerations for example is the so-
called HECTTEAS meaning Human, Environment, Cultural, Technological,
Temporal, Economy, Aesthetics and Safety. This is our priority when it comes to
urban planning and designing.

In conclusion, we considered urban design as incomplete without historic

preservation because it is considering and revitalizing the site/environment itself.
In this way, the purpose of urban design is well-served both to the
community/city/society itself and to the people.

III. BEST PRACTICES IN URBAN DESIGN (HISTORIC

PRESERVATION)

HISTORIC PRESERVATION
Historic Preservation. (2019). The WBDG Historic Preservation Subcommittee. Retrieved
July 11, 2021 from https://www.wbdg.org/design-objectives/historic-preservation

OVERVIEW
Preserving historic buildings is vital to understanding our nation's heritage. In
addition, it is an environmentally responsible practice.

By reusing existing buildings historic preservation is essentially a recycling

program of 'historic' proportions. Existing buildings can often be energy efficient
through their use of good ventilation, durable materials, and spatial
relationships. An immediate advantage of older buildings is that a building
already exists; therefore energy is not necessary to demolish a building or create
new building materials and the infrastructure may already be in place. Minor
modifications can be made to adapt existing buildings to compatible new uses.
Systems can be upgraded to meet modern building requirements and codes.
This not only makes good economic sense, but preserves our legacy and is an
inherently sustainable practice and an intrinsic component of whole
building design. (See also Sustainable and Sustainable Historic Preservation.)
Realizing the need to protect America's cultural resources, Congress established
the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966, which mandates the
active use of historic buildings for public benefit and to preserve our national
heritage. Cultural resources, as identified in the National Register for Historic
Places, include buildings, archeological sites, structures, objects, and historic
districts. The surrounding landscape is often an integral part of a historic
property. Not only can significant archaeological remains be destroyed during
the course of construction, but the landscape, designed or natural, may be
irreparably damaged, and caution is advised whenever major physical
intervention is required in an extant building or landscape. The Archaeological
Resources Protection Act established the public mandate to protect these
resources.

• U.S. Courthouse at Union Station, Tacoma, Washington. Designed by the

architectural firm of Reed and Stem and constructed in 1911 and
renovated in 1987. Tall ceilings, generous daylight, and grand ceremonial
spaces give historic buildings enduring investment value and make them
attractive for a variety of uses. Photo courtesy of the U.S. General Services
Administration

• James R. Browning U.S. Court of Appeals Building, San Francisco,

California. Designed by James Knox Taylor in 1905 and rehabilitated in the
early 1990's.

Onsite surveys identify significant features to be retained as part of a

comprehensive preservation plan.
Photo courtesy of the U.S. General Services Administration

Some practical and/or intangible benefits of historic preservation

include:

• Retention of history and authenticity

o Commemorates the past
o Aesthetics: texture, craftsmanship, style
 o Pedestrian/visitor appeal
o Contextual and human scale
• Increased commercial value (Economic Benefits)
o Materials and ornaments that are not affordable or readily
available
o Durable, high quality materials (e.g., old growth wood)
• Retention of building materials (refer also to WBDG Sustainable Branch)
o Less construction and demolition debris
o Less hazardous material debris
o Less need for new materials
• Existing usable space—quicker occupancy
• Rehabilitation often costs less than new construction
• Reuse of infrastructure
• Energy savings
o No energy used for demolition
o No energy used for new construction
o Reuse of embodied energy in building materials and assemblies

Four Treatment Approaches

Within the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic
Properties there are Standards for four distinct approaches to the treatment of
historic properties: preservation, rehabilitation, restoration, and reconstruction.
These distinct approaches are presented from the least intervention to the most
intervention.

Preservation focuses on the maintenance stabilization, and repair of existing

historic materials and retention of a property's form as it has evolved over time.

Rehabilitation acknowledges the need to alter or add to a historic property to

meet continuing or changing uses while retaining the property's historic
character.
This is the most commonly used and flexible standard for rehabilitation at a
federal, state, and local level.

Restoration depicts a property at a particular period of time in its history, while

removing evidence of other periods.

Reconstruction re-creates vanished or non-surviving portions of a property for

interpretive purposes.
Alexander Hamilton Custom House, New York. Constructed 1899–1907 and
renovated in 1994. Original drawings, photographs, and other archival
documents are used to determine the original appearance of missing features
to be replicated within restoration zones. Photo courtesy of the U.S. General
Services Administration
Guidelines for the Treatment of Cultural Landscapes such as landscapes,
archaeological and maritime resources, sustainability, etc. are maintained by
the National Park Service.

While each treatment has its own definition, they are interrelated. For example,
one could "restore" missing features in a building that is being "rehabilitated." This
means that if there is sufficient historical documentation on what was there
originally, a decorative lighting fixture may be replicated or an absent front
porch rebuilt, but the overall approach to work on the building falls under one
specific treatment.

Treatment Plan
Determine the appropriate treatment for a historic property BEFORE work begins,
at project initiation.

This includes making sure that the proposed function for the historic property is
compatible with the existing conditions in order to minimize destruction of the
historic fabric. Generally, the least amount of change to the building's historic
design and original architectural fabric is the preferred approach. To develop a
treatment plan, site assessments are conducted to identify character-defining
features and qualities.
These assessments also examine the building or property as a whole to establish
a hierarchy of significance, or "preservation zones," corresponding to specific
treatments. "Zoning" establishes preservation priorities.

Of concern to preservation and design professionals is the cumulative effect of

seemingly minor changes over time, which can greatly diminish the integrity of a
historic building. Major preservation design goals include:

• Update Building Systems Appropriately—Updating building systems in

historic structures requires striking a balance between retaining original
building features and accommodating new technologies and
equipment. Building system updates require creativity to respect the
original design and materials while meeting applicable codes and tenant
needs.
• Accommodate Life Safety and Security Needs—The accommodation of
new functions, changes in technology, and improved standards of
protection provide challenges to the reuse of historic buildings and sites.
Designers must address life safety, seismic, and security issues in innovative
ways that preserve historic sites, spaces and features.
• Provide Accessibility for Historic Buildings—Accessibility and historic
preservation strategies sometimes conflict with each other. Designers must
provide access for persons with disabilities while meeting preservation
goals.