bukidnon design workshop (details)

FORMAL LETTER FROM TFA:
Greetings!

The UP-Task Force Arki, a student organization based in the college of architecture of University of the Philippines, Diliman, in cooperation with Arch. Anna Maria M. Gonzales, and the Kitanglad Integrated NGO’s (KIN), is planning to conduct a Community Design and Planning Interaction Workshop for representatives of three of the local tribes inhabiting the Mt. Kitanglad Range National Park (MKRNP). This is viewed as a venue for which the indigenous peoples, namely; Bukidnons, Talaandigs, Higaonons, can provide inputs and participate in the design of the MT. KITANGLAD CULTURAL AND HERITAGE CENTER, a structure that will serve the following purposes:

a. The center will serve as an institutional structure which will empower the local tribes in allowing them to assert their rights over the land which they have been cultivating and protecting since the time of their ancestors. It will also stand as a symbol of unity and cooperation among the tribes.

b. The center will serve as a venue for cultural understanding between and among different IP’s, between mainland-settlers and the IP’s, and between IP’s and the LGU’s. It will house spaces for cultural activities such as a museum, library, ritual/religious area, and a multi-purpose area.

c. The center will serve as shelter for the 3D-scaled model of the Mt. Kitanglad Range, constructed by the tribes themselves, with the help of a volunteer geologist, John Ong. The map serves as an important tool for the tribes’ ability to communicate their concerns to the LGU’s and participate in the protection and management of the MKRNP.

d. The center will also serve as a support facility for the tourism activities to be held in the park. It will allow the tribes to take on a more active role in the protection and supervision of MKRNP. It will also provide employment opportunities for the tribes.

In view of the forthcoming activity, we would like to approach your institution under your leadership and explore whether you or your networks are interested to support us on this goal. Currently, we are soliciting funds to defray the cost of travel to Bukidnon while the KIN is seeking sponsors for the expenses for communicating the architects and food for the participants. The workshop will take three days (May24-26, 2005), excluding the trip and trek to the site. The workshop needs at least P45, 000 to materialize. The Bukidnons would also counterpart the venue where the workshop would be held.

We hope that you can help us search those people who can counterpart or shoulder part of the expenses to realize this upcoming activity in Bukidnon. Attached herewith is the preliminary planning workshop design with the budgetary requirement. You may contact me via the following contact info:

tel: (02)2594959, (02)4357181
cell: 0920-4230277
email: tfa_up@yahoo.com , superpaoie@gmail.com

We are extending our gratitude as early as now, and we hope for your favorable response. May god bless us in this endeavor of sharing the benefits of architecture with our brothers in Kitanglad.

More power and all the best!

Paolo B. Aguila
UP-TFA Chairman
AY 2004-2005

Jhun Lenard Fabrero
UP-TFA Projcom Head
AY 2004-2005

***
THE DETAILS:
Community Design and Planning Interaction Workshop
Preliminary workshop design (March 31, 2005)

Objectives
Over-all:
Prepare and agree on design criteria for community cultural, heritage center/map shelter

Specific:
® Share and discuss ideas on sacred spaces and importance in community life
® Discuss how the importance of and how to come up with design criteria from goals and proposed activities
® Demonstrate how criteria can and cannot be transformed into actual designs
® Appreciate sense of space, natural and built environment
® Appreciate the connection between ecology and the built environment
® Present preliminary ideas for discussion

Materials:
® Rope
® Bamboo
® Tools for splitting and cutting bamboo
® Cardboard or matt board (for model making)
® Glue
® Manila paper for listing criteria
® Digital cameras
® Laptop
® Preliminary designs

Participants
Community leaders and members – 30 pax

Facilitators and Resource Persons
Architect/Planner: Anna Maria M. Gonzales
Architecture students: Paolo Aguila and Jhun Fabrero
KIN staff: Easter Canoy and Doming Decan


Proposed Schedule
Day 0: Arrival and briefing; preparation
Day 1: AM Travel to site, Getting to know (persons, place, things)

PM
® What they know about design and planning
® Cultural retrieval
® Sharing of forms and their meanings
® Sharing of what activities they would like to hold in a physical center; discussion of programs

Day 2 AM
Short Discussion on design criteria development
Sensual (senses) criteria
Functional criteria
Manageability criteria
Ecological criteria

Exercise: Develop criteria checklists per type of criteria
Presentation of three designs

Exercise:
Using criteria that they presented comment on the designs
How do they appear to them in terms of sense, function, manageability, ecological criteria; in terms of “meaning” and symbolism

PM
Exercise:
Build the three designs (three groups) - massing only
Presentation of models; sharing of experience

Day 3 AM
Exercise: Choose one to lay out on the ground, using rope, bamboo and other available material

PM
Continuation
Discussion and sharing of experience/ walk through (imaginaries)
Celebration: Solidarity night

Day 4 AM
Re-visit and finalize criteria
What to do next?
Agreements

PM
Travel back to Malaybalay center or Cagayan de Oro
Discussion and debriefing with KIN

Day 5
Flight back to Manila


THE BUDGET
Airfare Fee of Architectural Team
3 pax (Anna, Paolo and Jhun)
(7, 000 roundtrip x 3 pax)
Subtotal P 21, 000

Land Transportation Allowance (Taxi and Bus Fares)
(P1, 000 x 3 pax)
Subtotal P 3, 000

Accommodation
(P500 x 2 Rooms x 3 days)
Subtotal P 3, 000

Honoraria
P 8, 000 for Sr. Architect
P 3, 000 for Student Architects
P 2, 500 Food Allowance
Subtotal 13, 5000

Materials and Supplies
Subtotal P 2, 000

Food & Ritual for Community Workshop
KIN Counterpart
(P6, 000)

Contingency
P 2, 000

Grand Total
P 44, 500