Republic of the Philippines

WESTERN MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE
Normal Road, Baliwasan, Zamboanga City

NEW IMELDA: Redevelopment of Imelda Municipal Hall

Empowering Socio-culture through Critical Regionalism Approach in a Rural Landscape

A Thesis Presented to the College of Architecture,

Western Mindanao State University

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

AR 155 Architectural Design 9 for the Degree of Bachelor of Science in Architecture

Submitted by:

Renel A. Arconada

BS Architecture V-A

Ar. Jeffrey Roy D.S Wee, uap

Thesis Adviser

Ar. Ruby Alita A. Sahi, uap, rmp, M.ArchSci

Class Adviser
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

a. Rationale

The municipal government is the territorial body in charge of the municipal territory

or municipality; it enjoys political, fiscal and administrative autonomy within the limits

agreed by the constitution and the decentralization laws of each country and undeniably,

Philippines is one of those countries. In a municipal government in the Philippines, a

municipal hall is the chief administrative building of a town or municipality. It usually

houses the municipal council, its associated departments, and their employees.

Municipal hall is a very important building in any democratic society. It makes sure

that the municipality is functioning properly. According to the Local Government Code

of 1991, the municipality, consisting of a group of barangays, serves primarily as a

general purpose government for the coordination and delivery of basic, regular and

direct services and effective governance of the inhabitants within its territorial

jurisdiction. Municipal hall provides a place where all citizens can go and voice their

opinions about the town and what they think needs to be done to improve the existing

conditions. Municipal Hall is where decisions for the town are determined and it should

accurately reflect the built environment (Buerkle, 2014). The local government may

endeavor to use the building to promote and enhance the quality of life of the

community. In many cases, municipal halls serve not only as buildings for government

functions, but also have facilities for various civic and cultural activities. These may

include art shows, stage performances, exhibits and festivals.

Located in the eastern part of Zamboanga Sibugay, is a landlocked and a mountainous

town called the Municipality of Imelda. As to Imelda, a municipal hall has been put up

Page |2
and has stood for several decades and houses the municipal offices. Such building is

situated on a hilltop in Barangay Sta. Fe (Poblacion) overlooking the whole town

proper. Provided with only one narrow access road, the municipal hall is arguably

inaccessible for the public. At the present, the municipal hall is overcrowded due to the

inadequate number of offices and waiting areas. The lack of support facilities, poorly

developed, unorganized planning are also observed. The steep terrain in some parts of

the site has very much affected the orientation of the buildings and parking areas

became limited. Oftentimes, the roadways were being used as parking spaces for both

employees and the local townspeople going to the site. During town fiesta, instead of an

event spaces the local government utilizes the Imelda National High School’s open and

covered court to cater events such as the Tatsulo festival, art contest, dance contest, and

other community events.

According to the Municipal and Planning Development Coordinator, there is an

utmost need of a new municipal hall due to the current condition of the municipal

building and the growing economy of the said municipality (Alde, 2021). The current

situation of the buildings are not the ideal government offices as it limits future

expansion and already in the state of deterioration. The existing municipal hall could

serve the public but not as suitable and accessible for every Imeldahanon especially for

the physically-challenged.

Government buildings play same role which prime purpose is to serve and influence

the public, aims for the betterment of the country either regional, provincial, municipal

or barangay governance. A municipal hall symbolizes democracy, it resonates

community’s culture and values. However, these aspects could hardly be reflected to the

municipal hall of Imelda. In order to draft an iconic image of a municipal hall that

serves a public purpose in the municipality of Imelda, the researcher proposes a

Page |3
redevelopment for new municipal hall; a building typology that enables better

governance, represents civic pride, and promotes the community’s culture.

Moreover, through this project, the local government unit of Imelda will be able to

execute its role in accelerating economic development and upgrading the quality of life

for the people to the fullest extent. Lastly, aside from proposing a municipal hall

redevelopment for the municipality of Imelda, architecture will be used as the main

catalyst in attaining the most suitable design solution to contribute for a more effective

public service and a culturally-enriched rural community.

b. Statement of the Problem

The deteriorating condition and its lack of supporting facilities have become the

predicament of the Imelda Municipal Hall. Moreover, the existence of these problems

posted threats with regards to the functionality of the main purpose of the Local

Government of Imelda which is to serve and improve the quality of life of the

Imeldahanons. The proponent aims to answer the following questions:

 What are the design imperatives and strategies that shall take place to address the

common issues such as lack of supporting facilities and inefficient spaces of the

current municipal hall?

 How can approaches in Architecture address and alleviate the problems of the

existing municipal building and the complexity of the site?

Page |4
Sub-Problems:

1. Socio-Cultural

Imeldahanons are well-known from their various source of livelihood which is not

only limited to agriculture but also famous for their handicraft and woodcraft

production such as rattan works, wood furniture works, and exquisitely designed

furniture. The vibrant and distinct culture of the existing Subanen tribe. These

aspects have rooted as part of their history and culture but slowly losing its

connection of the current social life of the Imeldahanons due to globalization and

modernization.

 How can the redevelopment of the municipal hall empower and revitalize the

municipality’s diminishing culture at the same time take part on the global

civilization?

2. Environmental

Some parts of the Imelda town-proper have been suffering from frequent natural

calamity specifically flashflood due to the constant threat of the Sibugay river. As

for this year 2021, the municipality have already experienced flashflood twice.

Because of this, the current strategy of either private or government developments

is land reclamation for developments in marshlands and large excavation for

hillside developments just to flatten the site which are very destructive to the

natural environment.

 How can architectural design ideas and strategies negate the current

environmental issues of the developments in the Municipality?

 How can the project lessen its environmental negative impact and promote

environmental-conscious design strategies?

Page |5
c. Project Objectives

The project is primarily aimed at improving the quality of life of the Imeldahanons

and resolving the current issues of the site by proposing a new municipal hall that will

benefit the municipal council, the employees, and the public. The project also aims to

empower and revitalize the municipality’s fading culture. The researcher aims to:

1. To provide a new image of a municipal hall for the municipality of Imelda,

Zamboanga Sibugay which will:

a. Contribute for a better governance for the community through well-planned

spaces.

b. Represent and empower local culture through architectural design strategies.

2. To redevelop the site in a new approach

a. To provide ancillary/supplementary spaces for the benefit of all the different

type of users.

b. To address the environmental issues and set forth for a new approach of a

development that lessens negative impact to the environment.

3. To be an ideal civic that observes the standard health and safety protocols of Inter-

Agency Task Force (IATF).

a. To design spaces that adapts to the “new normal”.

d. Architectural Objectives

1. To design a municipal hall with workable and adequate spaces that leads to

maximum productivity for the users at the same time complies with the health and

safety protocols.

Page |6
 Strategies:

a. By determining proper and strategical allocation of space in order to

provide sufficient office spaces and working areas.

b. By providing a fully-equipped and properly planned municipal building

to attain maximum workability for the users.

c. To design adaptive spaces oriented to social distancing and other

procedures to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease.

2. To introduce and design a community center that will cater community events and

gatherings; and will serve as the main public space for the municipality of Imelda.

Strategies:

a. To design flexible multi-purpose hall, public spaces, and parks that

resonates the community’s culture and will serve as a place for social

interactions.

b. To provide spaces that promotes the use of local materials in order to

recognize woodcraft and handicraft production as part the community’s

deep-rooted culture.

3. To apply Critical Regionalism as an architectural approach which will:

a. Serve as an architectural principle that embraces the irregularity of the

terrain and considers the unique topographic features of the site.

b. Be an approach to be incorporated into the proposed project to be very

self-conscious to the local context and maximizes the use of passive design

(e.g. natural light, local climate) and the use of locally-found materials.

c. Showcase building identity with global and local character in its design,

making the development a civic pride, a landmark, and attraction allowing

it to partake in global civilization while promoting local culture.

Page |7
e. Significance of the Study

The proposal will play a significant role in the municipality’s governmental

development and in upgrading the quality of life of the Imeldahananons. Significantly,

the study will benefit the government employees, the municipal council, and the

general public. This project will surely serve and bring comfort to all of its users by

way of having a suitable and accessible location and making the services of the fully-

equipped municipal hall more convenient. The project is also significant to the culture

of the municipality as it will embody design strategies that would reverberate and

revitalize the community’s diminishing culture especially to the existing Indigenous

group, the Subanen tribe.

The proposed redevelopment will also contribute to the economy of the municipality

as it will promote the use of available local materials; to the environment as the

project would try to minimize its impact and would serve as a prototype development in

the town which highly acknowledges the beauty of the natural environment. Lastly, to

Architecture as the study introduces on how we can maximize the use of various

architectural approaches showing the flexibility of architecture that can be applied not

just in an urban setting but in rural context as well.

f. Scope and Delimitations of the Study

Scope

The study is primarily aimed and focused on investigating and analyzing the issues

and predicaments of the current municipal hall being covered in this research. Other

methods to be covered in this study include extensive survey of the site, conducting

interviews with the respective personnel of the municipal departments, and surveys on
Page |8
the interests of the locals. The study will also explore information and design strategies

that will be beneficial to the proposal and explore case studies with regards to existing

municipal halls and related projects from both local and foreign vantage points.

Delimitations

The main purpose of this study focuses on the architectural planning, designing, and

innovations to alleviate current issues of the existing municipal hall only. At the present,

departments specifically the Fire and Police departments are strategically dispersed to

other location that made their function more operational. In addition to this, the

structures are in a good condition as they were built only few years ago. The study will

not anymore cover research and designing strategies for these building typologies.

g. Definition of Terms

1. Province – refers to the highest level of local government governed by a governor

as its executive and the sangguniang panlalawigan as legislature.

2. Municipality – refers to the next level of local government in the Philippines

governed by a municipal mayor as its executive and sangguniang bayan as its

legislature.

3. Barangay – smallest local government unit governed by a barangay captain as

executive and sangguniang barangay as legislature.

4. Imedahanon/s – refers to a person residing in the municipality of Imelda.

5. Tatsulo festival – a festival organized by the Local Government Unit of Imelda to

showcase the beautiful culture of the municipality.

6. Poblacion – is the common term used for the administrative center, central,

downtown, old town or central business district area of a Philippine city or

Page |9
 municipality, which may take up the area of a single barangay or multiple

barangays.

7. Municipal mayor – refers to the official elected or appointed to act as chief

executive of the municipality.

8. Subanen/Subanon Tribe – is an indigenous group to the Zamboanga peninsula

area, particularly living in the mountainous areas of Zamboanga Del Sur and is

also present in the mountainous areas of Imelda.

9. Local Government Unit (LGU) – refers to local government units that may

either be the local governments of highly urbanized cities, provinces, cities, and/or

municipalities.

 Section 15 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local

Government Code, defines a local government unit as a body politic

and corporate endowed with powers to be exercised by it in conformity

with law.

 As such, it performs dual functions, governmental and proprietary.

Governmental functions are those that concern health, safety, and the

advancement of the public good or welfare as affecting the public

generally. Proprietary functions are those that seek to obtain special

corporate benefits or earn pecuniary profit and intended for private

advantage and benefits. When exercising governmental duties, an LGU

is an agency of the national government. When engaged in corporate

activities, it acts as an agent of the community in the administration of

local affairs.

P a g e | 10
CHAPTER II

a. Review of Related Literatures

THE ROLE OF PUBLIC SECTOR

“Pillars of support for wellbeing in the community” (Kagan, 2007)

Each authority should have a Community Strategy outlining ways in which they will

move to improving the economic, social and environmental aspects of their areas, and

contributing to the achievement of sustainable development (Kagan, 2007).

In the UK, an Act of Parliament, the Local Government Act, 2000 (Part

I) provided local authorities in England and Wales with a new power of

'well-being', which entitles them to do anything that might achieve:

• The promotion or improvement of the economic and well-being of their area;

• The promotion or improvement of the social well-being of their area;

• The promotion or improvement of the environmental well-being of their area.

Well-being refers, amongst other things, as we have seen, to people's physical,

emotional, and psychological health. It includes the presence of social-emotional

coping skills to maintain that health and happiness. As such, well-being is closely

linked to health in its broadest sense. Well-being includes the development of identity,

attainment of personal goals, pursuit of spiritual meaning, prevention of maladaptive

behaviors, development of competencies and skills and the existence of social support.

Well-being is closely linked to quality of life and to fulfilment of the fundamental

human needs of health and what is known as ‘autonomy of agency’ or control over

events in one’s life (Doyle and Gough 1984, 1991).

P a g e | 11
 Other countries, either highly-developed or ones that are still developing really

thrives to promote well-being in terms of social, economic, and environmental. Good

governance is often regarded as essential for a country's economic development

(Kulshreshtha, 2008). The municipality of Imelda as one of the municipalities in the

region thriving for developments and prosperity should inherit this type of strategy.

The government is the pillar of support for well-being in the community. Therefore,

the public sector should promote the community it serves by creating an environment

that integrates the people’s way of life and show to them their importance will improve

their well-being. Improving governance- the way society collectively solves its

problems and meets its needs- is at the core of government strategies to reconcile

economic prosperity, social cohesion and environmental progress (Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development, 2001).

COMMUNITY CENTERS

“Major infrastructure” (Qingwen, 2005)

Community centers play significant role in the new social welfare sector for various

nations. Community centers have gradually become the major infrastructure of service

delivery in urban China (Qingwen, 2005). Community centers are fundamental features

of many communities as a space for social interaction and the development of social

relationships, which can contribute to social capital, a sense of belonging, and a sense

of community (Colistra, 2019). Community center served as a salient venue for citizen

development because of its focus on process instead of product (Glover, 2004).

When developing community centers, integrating the locals in the process may also

lead to sense of belongingness in one type of community. Project planning and

P a g e | 12
construction through participatory design and implementation with local residents

contributed to enhance the local residents’ pride and the consciousness of the residents

themselves (Lee, 2019).

“Making connections with the past” (Stiler, 2006)

In Evansville, Indiana, the Carver Community Center uses an academic enrichment

program to support neighborhood students. The curriculum involves children in

learning about African-American literary traditions and folk art. The Center's work is

based on the premise that African-American children need to encounter the reality of

history as in integral part of the curriculum; not as a superficial add-on. During the

after-school program described in this article, students constructed replicas of

indigenous art from inexpensive and commonly found materials. The ecology of

learning during this 3-month activity was rich in music, storytelling, and creativity.

Elementary students participated in informal pre- and post-activity discussions that

indicated an increased level of awareness about African-American history (Stiler,

2006).

“Third Places”

“Third places,” as defined by Oldenburg (1989), are the “great, good places” that

foster community and communication among people outside of home and work, the

first and second places of daily life.

For an individual, the third place offers stress relief from the everyday demands of

both home and work. It provides the feeling of inclusiveness and belonging associated

with participating in a group’s social activities, without the rigidity of policy or

exclusiveness of club or organization membership. Creating such an inviting

P a g e | 13
 environment includes “third places” that foster community and communication among

people outside of home and work (Jeffres, 2009).

Republic Act No. 7160 (An Act Providing For A Local Government Code of 1991)

CHAPTER 1, SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – (a) It is hereby declared the

policy of the State that the territorial and political subdivisions of the State shall enjoy

genuine and meaningful local autonomy to enable them to attain their fullest

development as self-reliant communities and make them more effective partners in the

attainment of national goals. Toward this end, the State shall provide for a more

responsive and accountable local government structure instituted through a system of

decentralization whereby local government units shall be given more powers, authority,

responsibilities, and resources. The process of decentralization shall proceed from the

National Government to the local government units.

CHAPTER 2, SECTION 17. Basic Services and Facilities. (a) Local government

units shall endeavor to be self-reliant and shall continue exercising the powers and

discharging the duties and functions currently vested upon them. They shall also

discharge the functions and responsibilities of national agencies and offices devolved to

them pursuant to this Code. Local government units shall likewise exercise such other

powers and discharge such other functions and responsibilities as are necessary,

appropriate, or incidental to efficient and effective provision of the basic services and

facilities enumerated herein. (b) Such basic services and facilities include, but are not

limited to, the following: (2) For a Municipality: (vii) Municipal buildings, cultural

centers, public parks including freedom parks, playgrounds, and other sports facilities

and equipment, and other similar facilities.

P a g e | 14
 This act authored on October 10, 1991 solely emphasizes the significance of

government facilities for a town or municipality. Consequently, it serves as a stepping

stone for the proposal to be adhered and realized.

DESIGN GUIDELINES FOR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS (Office of the Queensland

Government Architect, 2010)

The government building should contribute to the protection of ecological processes

and natural systems at local, regional, State and wider levels. The government building

should contribute to economic development. The government building should

contribute to the maintenance of the cultural, economic, physical and social wellbeing

of people and communities (OQGA, 2010).

CIVIC BUILDING AND CIVIC ARCHITECTURE (HMC Architects)

A civic center is a network of spaces or buildings that provide essential services to a

city or town. It can include everything from government offices and public meeting

spaces to memorials honoring important members of the community. Civic centers are

tailored to support the often very specific needs of communities. As a result, civic

center architecture design varies dramatically across the country in size, scope, and

overall appearance. According to HMC Architects these are some of the effective tactics

when designing civic centers:

Design for Functionality. A Civic center serves many purposes in the economic

development of a community that includes the people therefore, must operate

efficiently. For that reason, the planning strategy must consider the external needs of the

community, the internal operational needs of the center’s staff and the building itself.

P a g e | 15
 Buildings should be true to their original purpose. A development should strive to

create a better world and promotes the value of functionalism: that buildings should be

designed for functionality (Tanaya, 2019).

Choose the most effective layout. Layout is one of the most important aspects of civic

center architecture design. It should thoughtfully choreograph the visitor experience

while making the center efficient for staff. It should focus on the following such as:

Seamless flows, wide corridors, comfortable and appealing courtyards, good acoustics,

and future needs should be considered.

Inject character. It should mirror the qualities and values within its context and be a

source of public pride. The localities and the general public are the first priority in any

civic project therefore a civic center must not only respond to diversity but also

embrace it. A good balance between divergent and traditional perspective must exist. A

civic center should provide a wealth of information and taste history from local region.

Artworks from local artist could also be incorporated and to represent community

values and exude positivity.

Offer community amenities. In addition to meeting the needs of the community and

staff, consider additional amenities that will draw more visitors to a civic center and

make them feel comfortable while being there, including: public transportation access,

classes, coffee shop. Consider partnering with a local business to further support the

interests of the community.

CRITICAL REGIONALISM

Critical regionalism is an architectural concept that seeks to balance local needs and

capabilities with the progressive lessons of modernization (Bahga and Raheja, 2018). It

strives to counter the lack of identity and relationship of architecture towards its

P a g e | 16
location and context. It is a strategy for achieving a more humane architecture in the

face of universally held abstractions and international clichés. Critical regionalism

implores the use of critical analysis in solving problems or exploring possibilities rather

than creating a solution which is insensitive to its context and location.

Towards A Critical Regionalism (Kenneth Frampton, (1981)

The bulldozing of an irregular topography into a flat site is clearly a technocratic

gesture which aspires to a condition of absolute placelessness, whereas the terracing of

the same site to receive the stepped form of a building is an engagement in the act of

"cultivating" the site. It is possible to argue that in this last instance the specific culture

of the region – that is to say, its history in both a geological and agricultural sense –

becomes inscribed into the form and realization of the work.

This inscription, which arises out of "inlaying" the building into the site, has many

levels of significance, for it has a capacity to embody, in built form, the prehistory of

the place, its archeological past and its subsequent cultivation and transformation across

time. Through this layering into the site the idiosyncrasies of place find their expression

without falling into sentimentality.

Re-evaluating Critical Regionalism: An Architecture of the Place (Andreea

Cutieru, 2021).

“There is a different way for architecture to move beyond Modernism without

returning to the architectural language of the past” (Cutieru, 2021).

Critical Regionalism proposed an architecture that would embrace global influences

while firmly rooted in its context. Critical Regionalism necessarily involves a more

directly dialectical relation with nature than the more abstract, formal traditions of

modern avant-garde architecture allow (Frampton, 1981). It seeks architectural

P a g e | 17
traditions that are deeply rooted in the local conditions which results in highly

intelligent and appropriate architecture. By being critical of a region’s building

traditions, a practitioner is able to extract only the essence of these traditions rather than

literal references (Lefaivre and Tzonis, 2003).

In its broadest sense, then, the critical regionalist sensibility looks to the uniqueness

of site and location -a design method that is assuredly modern but relies on the organic

unity of local material, climatic, and cultural characteristics to lend coherence to the

finished work. The result is an architecture suited to light and touch.

Critical Regionalism in the Philippine Context

Critical regionalism is the response to identity crisis in architecture. It is an

architectural answer of creating architecture to be neither a vacuously international

practice nor a slushy utilization of the vernacular (Elpedes, 2012). It is regionalist in the

sense of not being internationalist and critical in the sense of not being a slavish

imitation of older forms. When a municipality or town, a city, or a nation is seen to be

different and unique to itself, it will be a point of interest of its neighboring

communities thus increasing the potential for foreign tourists to come by. These are but

few reasons why the identity of a community is important consequently requiring

critical regionalism in the field of architecture.

According to a Filipino Architect Edwin Uy in an interview: “Critical regionalism is

something incorporated into the concept itself”. In a distinguished critical regionalist

building, the components of the environment and the natural landscape or of one’s local

culture are integrated into the architecture of the structure, instead of utilizing the

typical global elements of one type of architecture. To consider this approach in a

broader perspective, checking out the locality even before coming up with a concept is

P a g e | 18
 very necessary. Ocular inspections are very important. Surveying the site and also

studying the village, the town or the local context where the structure will be built is

part of the concept of critical regionalism.

Summary and Conclusion

A community, city, or a nation’s identity is indeed very important. It is the measure of

the total growth of the country. One can’t say that because of the arising technological

breakthrough, a country can be considered growing in the same way, it definitely will

not show a nation’s growth when it keeps a tight grip to its historic past. To solve this

issue, we have the concept of critical regionalism. Being distinguished is very vital as it

shows how the town or municipality has developed.

It’s important to have cultural insights when designing, as it can help us understand

how users think and behave. How their mind works. In architecture, critical regionalism

is easily recognizable for it readily shows that in today’s modernizing age, the culture,

the tradition and the self of a nation, a city or municipality can be identified through

architecture. Critical regionalism plays such fine balance that takes the logical,

practicality values of modernist, but also embraces the nuances of local heritage,

variety, and peculiarities that make a place thoroughly unique and thus give them an

identity.

P a g e | 19
b. Case Studies

Foreign Case Studies

1. Säynätsalo Town Hall ( Municipaity of Säynätsalo, Finland)

It is a multifunctional

building complex, consisting

of two main buildings

organized around a centralized

courtyard; a U-shaped council

chamber and town hall with

administrative offices and a

community library with flats.

Occupying the center of a small farming town in Finland, Säynätsalo’s Town Hall

might appear almost too monumental for its context. Designed by Alvar Aalto in 1949,

the town hall is a study in opposition: elements of classicism and the monumental

blended with modernity and intimacy to form a cohesive new center-point for the

community. These and other aspects of the design initially proved somewhat divisive,

and the Town Hall has not been without controversy since its inception.

P a g e | 20
 Aalto’s winning proposal for the project follows the traditional European court-and-

tower model of a civic center. The complex consists of two wood-framed brick

buildings: the rectangular library block and the U-shaped government building. These

two buildings act as a retaining wall that allowed Aalto to fill the central courtyard with

earth excavated from the slope of the site; thus, the courtyard is lifted one story above

the surrounding landscape.

The sense of public

accessibility is

heightened by the

extensive glazing of the

entrance lobby and

corridor lining two sides

of the courtyard. The

permeability of these spaces makes for a stark contrast with the most prominent feature

of the town hall: the council chamber.

P a g e | 21
 The courtyard itself is only partially

paved, continuing the juxtaposition of brick

and grass begun by the two staircases. The

entrances to the civic offices and the public

library open onto the courtyard, allowing it to

serve not only as an open circulatory space,

but also as a public plaza for the benefit of

the entire town.

Entry into the council chamber brings one

into space of a much grander scale than that of the

stairway leading to it. The room is roughly cubic,

with the distance from floor to ceiling nearly

matching the length of the walls. The ceiling,

whose slope matches that of the roof, is visibly

supported by wooden struts fanning out from two

central beams; these struts support the roof entirely,

negating the need for heavy built-in framing that

would obstruct ventilation between the interior and

exterior surfaces of the roof. The council chamber

is naturally lit by a densely-louvered west-facing

window, with hanging lamps illuminating both the

desks below and the wooden trusses above them.

P a g e | 22
 2. Viborg Town Hall (Viborg, Denmark)

With its complex faceted

shape, Viborg Town Hall

becomes a symbol of the new

large municipal community that

opens in the wake of the

municipal merger.

The interplay between house

and park creates a new place

in the town where the large

inner atrium is the heart that

joins the town hall’s

professional community with

the community of the citizens.

The town council hall is

flexibly designed and together with the canteen, foyer and an adjoining meeting room it

can be converted into a

conference centre. The café on

the top floor of the building

has direct access to the roof

garden with a view of Viborg

Cathedral.

P a g e | 23
3. Huis van Albrandswaard Municipal Building (Albrandswaard, Netherlands)

P a g e | 24
 The Huis van Albrandswaard is a new office building for the municipality of

Albrandswaard. The building was designed by Gortemaker Algra Feenstra architects,

after convincingly comi ng out on top with their eye-catching round design at the

architect selection process in 2018. Residents, politicians, and civil servants have to feel

welcome in this new building, which will also house several other departments

alongside the town hall, such as the district team, the Albrandswaard Well-being

Foundation, RTV Albrandswaard, the multifunctional council chamber which can also

be used as a space for events, as well as the sports cafeteria of the gym next door.

Everyone has to go to the town

hall at some point for things like a

driver’s license or a passport, but

this building also offers the

opportunity to host exhibitions,

readings, or performances when

there aren’t any council meetings going on. The civil servants and politicians that work

in this building are visible to visitors due to the transparent layout. The cafeteria for the

civil servants is merged with the sports cafeteria of the connecting gym. This

encourages more interaction between council members and citizens.

Council chamber, public desk, work stations, and gym, all connected. After passing

through the main entrance you’ll find yourself in an open area with public desks. From

here you’ll have a nice view of the council chamber, of which the floor is one meter

lower. Through the wooden stands, you can descend to that level. The civil servants’

work stations are situated around the council chamber, as well as the work stations of

the mayor and the council members.

P a g e | 25
 Durable building as the

main focus of the design.

Because the building is

round, it has a smaller

circumference than a

square building with the

same surface area. Saving

energy starts with the building shape because the energy you don’t need is the most

durable type of energy. The building has a compact outer hull due to its round shape,

meaning its surface area barely cools off.

At the south side of the

building, you’ll find awnings

and overhanging eaves,

offering protection from the

warm summer sun while also

being high enough to let

through the low winter sun.

This means the building

requires less cooling in the summer and less heating in the winter. On top of that, the

entire roof is covered with solar panels, which means the building easily passes the new

BENG (Nearly Energy Neutral Building) and is even completely energy neutral.

P a g e | 26
4. The Qinchang Village Town Hall (Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo, Henan Province,

China)

The Qinchang Village Town hall is located directly to the east of the Qinchang

Village CPC Community Center in Xiuwu County, Jiaozuo, Henan Province. It is

the second phase of the Qinchang Village CPC Center Complex. While Phase I on

the west side accommodates mostly non-profit community services programs and

ceremonial spaces, the east side focuses on the introduction of small local

businesses as well as cultural and recreational programs, including a store selling

local farm produce and handicrafts souvenirs, a small café, a restaurant, a gallery

as well as a children’s library.

P a g e | 27
 The central courtyard

naturally formed by these

three individual buildings

interacts with the west side

cloister-style one, continuing

and reinforcing the porosity

and accessibility from the

west: openings in-between

all of the individual

buildings allows villagers to

access or pass-through the

site conveniently. The central

multi-functional open space

also provides villagers of all ages with a place for social and recreational activities,

which complements, balances, and enriches the tranquil, ceremonial ambience of the

West Courtyard.

LOCAL CASE STUDIES

1. Tagum City Hall, City of Tagum, Philippines

Tagum city

is one of the top

most livable

cities in the

P a g e | 28
 Philippines, and was one of the finalists in Most Child Friendly City in the Philippines

– Component Category along with Laoag, and Talisay, Cebu. In the recently released

2017 Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI), the City of Tagum

ranked third on the Overall Competitive Component Cities in the Philippines, second on

Infrastructure, fourth in Resiliency, seventeenth on Economic Dynamism and twenty-

fourth on Government Efficiency.

Post modernist in approach and notable for its design bravura, this city hall combines

a multiplicity of disc-like geometries, prominent volumes, and bold, even surprising

elements like the suspension cable system that seems to hold up the roof. A little over-

designed perhaps but may be aspirational, for the ambitions and goals of the city.

2. Balanga City Hall (Balanga City, Philippines)

By: WTA Architecture and Design Studio

Envisioned to be the anchor

of a proposed city center, the

Balanga City Hall is an 11,865

square meter sprawling

development that rethinks the

program of a civic center.

Situated north of the old city

center, it is designed to cater to a new generation of Balangueños with contemporary

lifestyle.

P a g e | 29
 As the focal point of

a new city center that

promotes a walkable

and permeable

neighborhood, this new

City Hall is also made

more accessible as

compared to traditional

monolithic models. Instead of enclosing the program into a solid structure, the new City

Center breaks the program into clusters of buildings interconnected by a green spine—

creating an integrated city hall park. This concept gears towards a progressive direction

implying a more transparent and participatory government structure, sustainable

development, and people-centric environment.

Affirming the concept of its

unorthodox program, the form appears

like fragmented pieces of stones from a

solid piece of rock permeated by a

people’s park that implies a stream. Like

a flowing stream, the stream that

connects the old and new city centers,

the design empowers the people to

access the city hall park and enliven it.

P a g e | 30
3. San Fernando City Hall, San Fernando (Pampanga, Philippines)

Designed like a row of

townhouses this building boldly

employs Baroque-like elements.

A lot of attention was given to

the facade, with a merry mix of

rounded pediments punctuated

by Ionic columns topped by

dentils and underlined by heavy cornices, an ornate fence decorating the front and a

stylized pediment capping the façade. San Fernando is a city familiar with neoclassical

and baroque designs as they often use them in their export furniture so in a way this is a

reflection of the city’s culture and industry.

4. Bacolod New Government Center

The New Government Center or the NGC is now one of the new landmarks of

Bacolod City. It stands on a 5 hectare lot donated by Fernando F. Gonzaga, Inc. and

Angela Estate, Inc. Inaugurated in July 2010, it replaced the old City Hall at Araneta-

Luriaga Sreets. It costed the City and its people almost 400 million to build this new
P a g e | 31
seat of power. Since the start of operation of the NGC, it has attracted business and

trade in the surrounding area. What used to be a vast sugarcane field has now been

transformed to a busy development area in the city.

Undoubtedly neoclassical in form this building makes a grand gesture with its

imposing façade set off an expansive plaza with a substantial water feature. It is a good

interpretation of neoclassical architecture as designed and constructed today. However

it adheres much to the design of the provincial capital, one of the most beautiful in the

country and a masterpiece of the neoclassical by Juan Arellano, to the point of mimicry.

Some landscaping and vegetation would work well to ‘soften’ the hard edges of the

building and provide relief from the sun and heat for commuters.

The NGC grounds are frequented by joggers, pet lovers with their dogs, friends or

families hanging out, etc. It has also been a favorite of photography enthusiasts for

workshops or commercial shoots. The NGC fast becoming one of the most

photographed landmarks in the city.

P a g e | 32
c. Conceptual Framework

P a g e | 33
 The conceptual framework above shows how critical regionalism approach directly

affects the four underlying aspects that the proposed project wants to embody and

promote; which are the Social aspect, environmental aspect, economic aspect, and

cultural aspect together with the supporting relevant factors that were formulated based

on the statement of the problem. The crosshair-like diagram shows how critical

regionalism approach intervenes with the relevant aspects and the proposed project at

the center as the main target of the thesis. Moreover, the formulated conceptual

framework is a direct correspondent to the statement of the problem and objectives.

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY

One of the components of this research is getting enough information about the

research problem- the what, how, when and where answers, which is why the study uses

descriptive research.

a. Research Design

The descriptive type of research make use of both quantitative and qualitative

methods in this study. The diagram below is a framework which shows whole process

of the study;

P a g e | 34
 Research Framework

b.

Research Environment

The research environment of this study is the Municipality of Imelda, Zamboanga

Sibugay. Currently classified as a 4th class municipality in Zamboanga Sibugay with a

total population of 26,020 people according to the 2020 census. A landlocked and

P a g e | 35
 mountainous agricultural town and the least populous municipality in the Province and

the third smallest in terms of land area. The study will undergo investigation and

observation particularly on the existing Municipal Hall and all the aspects involved

such as social, environmental, and cultural characteristics of the community.

c. Research Respondents

The research respondents are mainly the residents of the Municipality of Imelda.

They will be interviewed in order to acquire factual and truthful information based on

their observations on current conditions and issues associated to the study. However, it

is likely impossible to collect data towards each citizen present in the community, hence

a probability sampling method shall take place in the process. In which it according to

(McCombes, 2019), it involves random selection allowing to make strong statistical

inferences. Moreover, this method enables the survey to comply the required minimum.

The survey shall cover a sample size of at least a minimum of 100 respondents to

participate in answering the survey questionnaires as a method of the research. The

proponent will also conduct formal interviews to the government personnel on the

selected government offices and agencies to gather information related to the study. The

results of surveys and interviews will contribute to the acquisition of primary data

together with the gathered data from agencies and ocular investigations. It will help on

a better evaluation for a more appropriate conclusion and recommendation.

P a g e | 36
d. Data Gathering Procedure

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak and observing the standard health and safety

protocols of Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF), there were and will be an adjustment in

data gathering.

1. Primary Data Gathering Procedure

Starting point of procedures in collecting the primary data is the observation,

personal ocular investigation in the research environment, jotting down notes, taking

photos on the current situation specifically on the Municipal Hall and observing the

environments, activities and also the behaviors of the community. Second, is the

constructing of survey questionnaires then to be consulted to the ethics board for

approval, then conducting online survey through google forms, the questionnaires will

be sent/shared to the respondents within the locality.

2. Secondary Data Gathering Procedure

The procedures in collecting the secondary data are, preparing a formal letter to

gather data to various government agencies and offices related to the study. Before

distributing the letters, these will first undergo a consultation to the thesis adviser for

approval. The approved letters will then be distributed/emailed to the respective

government agencies and offices for data gathering. The inputs of Case Studies will

serve as guidance to achieve the most appropriate and applicable strategy for the

proposal. Lastly after the surveys, observations and data collection, all the gathered data

will be assessed and evaluated for data analysis and interpretation.

3. Treatment of Data

P a g e | 37
 The data being collected will then be treated with utmost confidentiality and will

be used for this study only.

e. Research Instruments

The research utilizes various instruments to acquire factual information and data

related to the study ranging from: ocular investigations and observations, interviews

and survey questionnaires which are part of the essentials for the completion of the

research endeavor; to reliable articles, books, and journals that are available in the

internet which would supplement the information needed for the validity of this study.

The study will also utilize government offices and agencies in acquiring data which

includes: Philippines Statistic Authority (PSA), Office of the Municipal Planning and

Development Coordinator, Office of the Municipal Administrator, Electronic Freedom

of Information (eFOI), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

f. Site Selection Criteria

The criteria for site selection would show the attributes of the existing site for the

proposed redevelopment project. The proposal is a redevelopment, but in order to

achieve greater possibilities and unbiased selection of the site, the proponent will look

for 2 (two) other possible sites carrying potentials for the proposed project. This

research process would assess different criteria ranging from land, zoning, safety &

security and accessibility and other relevant factors affecting the proposal. The table

below shows the different criterion with number ratings (3- highest, 1- lowest) to

determine the best option for each category. The existing site together with the selected

P a g e | 38
potential sites will then be rated and scored with the most favorable rating from each

category based on its condition and suitability for the proposal. A justification for each

category has also been provided for brief explanation on how the site should be rated

for each criterion.

P a g e | 39
Criteria for Site Justification

Category Rating Justification

Zoning and Land Use

Within Institutional Zone
Within Residential/ Commercial
Zone
Within Agricultural Zone
The site must be at the
3
appropriate and fitting land use or
2 zoning of the municipality. It should
provide special use for an
institutional project.
1

Land Area
Approx. 5-6 hectares
Approx. 3-4 hectares
Approx. 1-2 hectares
The site must have sufficient
3 land area to be put up with a
municipal building and other
2 supporting facilities included in the
project.
1

Safety and Security

Low risk possibility
Medium risk possibility
High risk possibility
The site must ensure safety
and security for all types of users.
3
There should be peace and order
2 around the vicinity and of the
surrounding community.
1

Utilities and Services

Utilities and services must be
available within and around the site.
Utilities and services are 3
available and sufficient

Utilities and services are 2

inadequate

Non-existence of utilities and 1

services

Proximity
Approx. 5-10 minutes away
from the town center
Approx. 20-30 minutes away
from the town center
The site should be proximate
to the town center and should just be
3 few minutes away through a
vehicular transport.
2

1 hour and above away from the 1

town center

Accessibility

Accessible by all types of public 3

and private vehicles The site must be accessible
P a g e | 40
by all types of vehicular
Accessible by private vehicles 2 transportation present in the
municipality.
Not accessible by all types of 1
WORKING BIBLIOGRAPHY

L. Lefaivre, A. Tzonis (2003). Critical Regionalism: Architecture and Identity in a

Globalized World. Prestel, Munich (2003)

S. Bahga, G. Raheja (2018). An Account of Critical Regionalism in Diverse Building Types in

Postcolonial Indian Architecture.

A. Adlawan (2020). Architect Edwin Uy on Critical Regionalism. MyBoysenBlog. Retrieved

from https://www.myboysen.com/critical-regionalism/

H. Tanaya (2019). Critical Regionalism: On Architecture and UX Design

S. McCombes (2019). An introduction to sampling methods

HMC Architects. Civic Building and Civic Center Architecture: Design for the Public.

Retrieved from https://hmcarchitects.com/thought-leadership/civic-building-and-civic-center-

architecture-design-for-the-public/

K.T. Elpedes (2012). Critical Regionalism and Its Philippine Context

Republic Act No. 7160. (October 10, 1991). Local Government Code of 1991.

L. Doyal, & I. Gough (1984). A theory of human needs. Critical Social Policy, 4, 6-38.

P a g e | 41
C. Kagan (2007). Pillars of support for wellbeing in the community: the role of the public

sector. Manchester Metropolitan University.

P. Kulshreshtha (2008). Public sector governance reform: the World Bank's framework.

Jeffres, L.W., Bracken, C.C., Jian, G. et al. The Impact of Third Places on Community

Quality of Life. Applied Research Quality Life 4, 333 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11482-

009-9084-8

Q. Xu PhD, J. Gao PhD & M. Chung Yan PhD (2005). Community Centers in Urban China.

Journal of Community Practice, 13:3, 73-90, DOI: 10.1300/J125v13n03_05

C. Colistra, R. Bixler & D. Schmalz (2019). Exploring factors that contribute to relationship

building in a community center. Journal of Leisure Research, 50:1, 1-17, DOI:

10.1080/00222216.2018.1542527

T. Glover (2004). The ‘Community’ Center and the Social Construction of Citizenship.

Leisure Sciences, 26:1, 63-83, DOI: 10.1080/01490400490272486

Byungyun Lee & In Su Na (2019) A Case Study Of A Community Center Project Based On

Appropriate Technology As A Community Capacity Building Of Underdeveloped Country.

Journal of Asian Architecture and Building Engineering, 18:2, 43-48, DOI:

10.1080/13467581.2019.1595628

G. Stiler & L. Allen (2006). Making Connections with the Past: (Un) Masking African

American History at a Neighborhood Community Center. Multicultural Education, v13 n4

p24-28

Hummon, D. M. (1991). The Great Good Place: Cafes, Coffee Shops, Community Centers,

Beauty Parlors, General Stores, Bars, Hangouts, and How They Get You Through the Day.

By Ray Oldenburg (Book Review). Social Forces, 69(3), 931.

P a g e | 42
P a g e | 43