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DESIGN STATEMENT

BAYANIHAN

The Filipino spirit of unity that moves you to work together so that the community will reap and share as a unit. working together to achieve a common noble purpose.

WHAT?

The unprecedented Covid-19 virus has affected our way of life and has exposed the flaws in our urban design environments. According to The Telegraph, the Philippines under the pandemic has experienced the longest community lockdown in the world. This has led to a myriad of social problems that has aggravated Manila’s already ongoing ‘mass transport crisis’.

The suspension of public transportation in areas under ECQ forced commuters to use bicycles to go to work. It does not help that Metro Manila lacks bike lane infrastructure, which would make cycling safer and more sustainable.

WHY?

With a lack of mobilization, people cannot go to work nor continue their livelihoods. To proliferate the urbanization of the new normal operation, we must collectively address Manilas transportation crisis which enables the other factors of Urban design and economy to continue.

HOW?

Creating resilient urban spaces with biking infrastructure that provides an alternative way to navigate the city under unpredictable circumstances such as pandemics.

As most civilizations in history, we have built our cities around bodies of water. Navigating through Pasig river, our project improves the current ferry system and enhances the urban environment with a new biking infrastructure that will reconnect the cities in metro manila.

Due to the natural course of the Pasig river, Significant amount of travel time is reduced when travelling between cities. The River’s course, unlike typical road infrastructure does not involve any issues such as road right of way and traffic congestion.

According to the TomTom Traffic index in 2019, Metro Manila has the 2nd worst traffic congestion in the world. The design aims to decongest major thoroughfares that will make use of bicycle highways and ferry systems that adapt this infrastructure along the existing developments.

The Pasig ferry system must be fully capable of accommodating more passengers to operate reliably and consistently. The design envisions a grand central station to embark the vision of connecting and improving the entirety of the Pasig ferry Service.

The design overall embraces the unpredictable by adding adaptable spaces and innovations that integrate social distancing and pandemic related non- contact space planning.

CONCLUSION?

Winston Churchill put it best when he said, “We shape our buildings, and afterwards, our buildings shape us.” The resilient nature of our architecture aims to reflect the resilience of the community known locally as BAYANIHAN. The Idea does not only engage transportation, but in the collective effort of all in the industry of urbanization. To empower the entrepreneurs and give courage to embrace the unpredictable through a solution that can help mobilize the masses in times of uncertainty and life’s unpredictability.