Site: Taguig, Philippines

Design Against the Elements is a global architectural design competition meant to find a solution to the problems presented by climate change.  This competition searches for the first green, livable, affordable, and disaster-resistant village in the Philippines that will serve as the blueprint for other communities threatened by climate change.
 
My design objective concentrates on the safety, affordability and social aspect of the project.  The proposed masterplan undertakes disaster-resistant housing, promotes social interaction between communities, and achieves high density housing through low rise strategies.  The ground plane is redefined as a public zone (marketplace), where residences’ live/work spaces are located on the ground floor.  Residents’ may use their live/work spaces for their small businesses that may welcome neighbors and customers into the marketplace.  In case of a disaster, residences’ can locate themselves on the 2nd floor of each unit, where they can find their private quarters and emergency storage of water and food.  Units are granted with a double height space that is connected to its live/work space, this allow residences to watch over their business from the 2nd floor.  These design strategies aim to achieve housing in a safe, healthy and socially active environment located in Taguig, Philippines.