Disaster Response Philippines Project #14824

Estudio Damgo II: A Filipino Design-Build Studio

by Foundation University

Estudio Damgo II: A Filipino Design-Build Studio

Project Report | Jun 10, 2015
Education to Sustain Communities

By Anna Koosmann | Project Leader

As part of Estudio Damgo's (Dream Studio) mission to teach Filipino college students sustainable design to benefit a chosen community, Foundation University's Agriculture extension program, lead by Mark Espedilla, continues to work with the residents of Core Shelter community since the relationships were formed through the Multipurpose Hall project in 2013. During the second semester this past February (and marking nearly one year after the ribbon cutting), Espedilla's extension program took their fieldwork on solid waste management to Core Shelter. Espedilla says the residents are proud of the Multipurpse Hall and they keep it clean. The students used the Multipurpose Hall to instruct residents on urban composting and gardening. The community is now supplied with a rotary composting unit and the knowledge to reduce and use their waste for gardening. Espedilla's extension program demonstrates Estudio Damgo's mission through and exchange of ongoing relationships, which benefit both Foundation University's students and the local community. Foundation University’s College of Business Administration has also conducted fieldwork with Core Shelter using the Multipurpose Hall.

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Dec 31, 2014
Estudio Damgo II Progress Report

By Anna Koosmann | Project Leader

Multipurpose Hall Exterior

Pleased to share Arch't Ann Panopio's perspective on the Multipurpose Hall and humbled to know she took time out from a family holiday to travel during inclement weather. Thank you for visiting and sharing Ann!

The following is what she shared to facebook:

How's this for irony? While visiting a disaster recovery related project in Dumagete City, Negros, Philippines, my cousins and i were stranded on that island for 30 hours because of Tropical Storm Queenie. Thanks to Anna L Koosmann, who told me about Estudio Damgo, allow me to recount the lemonade glasses from this lemon of a situation.

Estudio Damgo is a design-build studio at Foundation University in Negros. From what I understand, this is the first design build, community based studio in the country. Victor Sinco and Zorich Guia were generous enough to spend sometime discussing how the studio is a break from the traditional pedagogy, which tends to be more technical. I also found it interesting the Victor mentioned that a few people with whom he has discussed this program seem bemused by why resources and intellectual capital is being spent on "the poor". This doesn't surprise me, Philippines' sociopolitical structure isn't unique but the systematic inequality is certainly more pronounced than in the US.

The most recently completed project is the Panaghuisa project, which is a multipurpose building in a settlement for Typhoon Sendong survivors. The students chose to work with this community after learning about the need for a shared common space to house meetings, classes and medical services. The structure and landscaping also will allow for an aquaponic system to help manage rainwater runoff and to grow fish and vegetables. Visiting was a great opportunity for me to see what community engagement in a disaster recovery situation can look like within a context that is both familiar and completely foreign to me.

For more information, check out http://www.akoosmann.blogspot.com

*Ann Panopio lives and works in Houston, Texas US at bcWorkshop. She was traveling through Dumaguete during an overseas family holiday visit in the Philippines, November 2014, and 7 months Multipurpose Hall post occupancy.

Multipurpose Hall Interior

Tropical Depression Queenie

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Oct 14, 2014
Report for Estudio Damgo II

By Alex Pal | Project Leader

Estudio Damgo 2 being put to good use

The pomp and excitement of the March 25, 2014 inauguration may still be remembered by the residents of Habitat 4 and the Core Shelter Housing Project in barangay Bajumpandan in Dumaguete City whenever they see the multipurpose building that was built over a span of over six months through the Estudio Damgo II project of Foundation University.

"It was a special moment," Juancho Gallarde, a village councilman, said. "Not everyday do we have a marching band parade through our roads with no less than the City Mayor in attendance," he added.

The multi-purpose building, designed by the community in a series of consultations and built by community volunteers spearheaded by the graduating architecture students of Foundation University, is living up to its intention of being a place where the villagers could gather for any occasion.

"We are happy that finally, we have a beautiful place to gather for the purpose of socializing, holding community meetings, and seminars and celebrate important community milestones," Gallarde said.

Before Estudio Damgo II, community residents would gather in an open space, exposed to the heat of the sun or the cold drops of rain.

The multi-purpose building sits on government land, owned by the City of Dumaguete, which it gave permission for Foundation University to build on it.

Built at a cost of Php 530,000 (roughly USD 11,000) through fund raising activities and donations from the Global Giving community, the building is being put to good use.

"We hold village meetings and seminars in this building each week. We held an anti-drug abuse seminar just a few days ago," Gallarde said.

The project, though, is still incomplete, as a livelihood component for the villagers remains uninstalled.

The livelihood component was an aquaponics system, whereby residents could raise fish and grow vegetables, which would cost an additional P200,000.

With the introduction of Estudio Damgo III, funds for the livelihood component for Estudio Damgo II may take much longer to raise.

But Gallarde said even the building alone is already a great help for their community. "Having a livelihood project would be a wonderful bonus!" he said. (Alex Pal)

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