The architect designs sustainable but extreme architecture
IT is imperative that the architect knows how to design extreme architecture as the environmental conditions of the site requires. Normal site conditions like location on flat land is not the problem, but risky geographical and geological condition where landslides, tsunamis, storm surges and earthquakes are natural hazards that the architect must contend. The architect must approach architecture in a more holistic manner with a suigeneris character that speaks the language of zeitgeist of the times through the effect of climate change.
One may ask, why build in AREAS WHERE THE THREAT OF flOODING OR LAHAR flOW MIGHT SWEEP away your house? The fact is that sometimes, we have no choice but contend with situation that affects the surrounding built-up environment where we are in now. Take the case of Marikina Valley — if you look at the hazard map of Metro Manila, this area is unbuildable. But why has it become a human habitation? Urban planners of the 1970s have already marked it as a high-risk area. This was disregarded because of greed and corruption in the government and even among real estate developers. This was evident in 2009, super typhoon Ondoy showed us the folly of building in high-risk areas.
In sustainable architecture, the architect must have a practical knowledge in knowing initially what critical factors shall affect his design. Looking at the seismic map drawn by the Philippine
Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, active fault lines are found all over the country. No structure shall be designed and built without due consideration to the high seismicity near the fault lines. All structures in these regions must be earthquake- resistant that could withstand a temblor of magnitude 7 on the Richter Scale. “Earthquake- resistant” building is the correct technical term rather than “earthquake- proof” to be used as a selling point by real estate developers because no structure is guaranteed to survive unscathed in a very strong earthquake.
In the design of single- detached houses, two- story rowhouses or low- rise buildings, applied knowledge of designing disaster- resistant structures is crucial. Larger building structures shall be designed by expert structural engineers. A practicing architect or civil engineer must be proficient in the structural analysis and design of smaller structures they shall encounter in their generalist architectural and engineering practice.
Architects need a geological survey by a geotechnical engineer on the project site beforehand, in order to ascertain probable structural problems that might arise if a structure is built. This pertains to structures that shall be constructed on areas vulnerable to
LANDSLIDE, flOODING, LIQUEFACTION due to ground motion caused by earthquake or lahar inundation. The architect must visit the local government units to look at the hazard map of its entire city or municipality. Geological information is a vital factor that shall determine the character and style of the architectural and structural design. Unusual site conditions give the architect an opportunity to design extreme architecture that can stretch the limits of conventional architectural design.
Extreme architecture is a design genre that stretches the limits the philosophy of modern architecture to give way to a particular need based on given conditions. Usually, extreme architecture is characterized with an audacious and original architectural expression that is beyond the mundane and the banality of conventional architecture. The architect has turned into a director of cinematography in order to extract the desired a priori character.
This is essential on a project site that has drama with an unusual character that the architect can play with his design genius like Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece, the “Falling Water” house. We must remember that when an architect designs a structure, aside from its sustainability, it must transcend the mere pragmatic and mundane requireMENTS JUST TO MEET THE SPECIfiCS of the National Building Code, but have aesthetic sense and with exemplary character.
Sustainability in extreme architecture is not just a systemic precedence, but an architectural expediency not known before but applied through necessity. A Japanese architect named Sheguru Ban is an exemplary example. His paper architecture is a technological breakthrough in the application of paper pulps to make sustainable architecture. He demonstrated the structural integrity of processed paper pulp into tubular structural support in small emergency structures for shelters in Africa and Asia. This is an architectural innovation that was never before attempted before. Aside from processed tubular cardboard, processed bamboo has now a more potentials application as building materials due to its inherent tensile strength compared to timber.
How shall an architect design a seismic- resistant house without sacrificing the quality of his visions? Basically, it is space planning in terms of spatial, functional and aesthetic needs and budget. The architect has to conceptualize first the whole structure before dealing with the particulars. In most cases, he quickly sketches the plans first without considering what particular architectural solution shall suit the site. Then, he must consider the owner’s preferences. If the owner is not picky, he has to trust the architect’s designs. This is followed by structural stability, safety of the structure and aesthetic comfort of the owner as basic design considerations.
Most houses that collapsed in the 2019 Batanes earthquake were due to poor construction practices. Houses were ancient and built in the indigenous vernacular tradition of thick rubble stones. Houses collapsed due to the absence of concrete beams and columns stiffeners that hold and protect the stone walls in case of lateral movement caused by an earthquake. The Baclayon churches were constructed of coral stones that pulverized due to age. Coral stones lack the cohesiveness of solid bricks or cut- stone blocks. Coral stones ARE CALCIfiED STONES THAT IS POOR in compressive strength and bonding. Coral stones have poor bonding on its ancient mortars compared to those set on cement mortar mixture. Ancient churches are most vulnerable to ground motion. This is the reason why most heritage churches must be retrofitted to best preserve its structural integrity. The inherent weakness of ancient churches is the absence of moment-resisting space frames. This shall hold together the whole structure in case of lateral and vertical ground motion movement. Modern churches are designed in accordance with the Structural Code requirements using moment resisting space-frame whose values are assigned to either reinforced concrete or structural steel or even in timber construction.
The provinces in the Bicol Region are the perennial typhoon paths. Houses and buildings must be made of sturdier and heavier materials. Gasoline stations like Shell and Petron are the most vulnerable due to its usual conventional designs and the use of lighter materials like free- standing steel structures. Structures like school gymnasiums are also most vulnerable. Flimsy structural steel structures like covered courts or gymnasiums cannot withstand battering center- winds of 250 kilometers per hour and higher.
Nature’s catastrophe engenders innovation in a sustainable modern Philippine architecture. The modernist architect is a real master builder, whose skills transcend beyond mere building construction or just the mere aesthetics of architecture and just leave it to the engineers the responsibility how to make his designs stand to nature’s vagaries!
Arch. Rommel R. Alan is, U AP is a practicing architect in Na ga City. He is a graduate of the University of Northeastern Philippines and Architecture in 1977 in I rig a City, Ca marine sS ur, where he received his Bachelor of Science He loves to write non-fiction, architectural and art criticism, and poetry in English, Tagalog, Bi cola no and Spanish. He is also a vanguard of Cultural Heritage Conservation, including Bi col Na ga language and Bi col (Irigadialect.)