Estudio Damgo II: A Filipino Design-Build Studio

Greetings!

Today, over 30 preschoolers begin their educational journey, because you believed in a dream to help Ray Villanueva and two architecture students, Von Jovi Biala and Rick Gando, complete a daycare for a rural, mountain community.  We are grateful for your support!  Please consider making a donation to help build the second project, a Multipurpose Hall for flood survivors.  Global Giving will MATCH all donations made on October 16, 2013 (Wednesday).  Visit the Global Giving site for more details.

Announcements

Given the great success from Estudio Damgo's first project, we're gaining momentum and a spotlight in architecture education in the Philippines.  Recently, Von Jovi Biala was awarded the Ten Accomplished Youth Organizations (TAYO) of the United Architects of the Philippines (UAPS).  Through this award, Von has received a 50,000 peso scholarship from UAPS to support the second Estudio Damgo project.  He is currently defending the program in Manila to gain corporate sponsorship and support.  We're proud to witness and receive the benefits from Von's continuing dedication and support for this pioneering program in the Philippines. 

Ray Villanueva has returned to Seattle with his wife Amy and new baby daughter to begin their family.  Ray has handed over the role to Anna Koosmann who will lead the second Estudio Damgo project.  Anna is a friend and colleague of Ray's for over 8 years and assisted Ray on the daycare project since October 2012.

Project Summary

Estudio Damgo's second project is a Multipurpose Hall for the flood survivors of typhoon Ondoy and Sendong, which occurred in 2009 and 2011.  Five, senior architecture students are helping over 100 displaced, relief-housing community gain access to education, training, and medical services.  In addition to this building program, Estudio Damgo is teaming up with FU's Agriculture Department to design and implement an aquaponics water management system integrated with the design.  The aquaponics will divert nearly 90% of the water to a circulating fishpond and vertical vegetable structure.  The aquaponics will benefit the livelihood of this community and have less environment impact.

Goal & Objectives

Estudio Damgo trains Filipino architecture students a sustainable approach to design; which in turn, trains to sustain a community.

1. Architecture students gain first hand experience with client relations, design and construction.  Thereby increasing their marketability post-graduation.
2. A chosen community client receives a well-designed, long-term asset that supports wellness, economic viability and environmental sustainability.
3. The local community (academe, business, government and civil society) benefits from good design through the provision of a structure that showcases cultural relevance, innovation and sustainability.

Current Phase: Construction, September 2013-March 2014

We have completed four construction weeks since we broke ground in September.  There are 27 total construction weeks and we are on par with finishing the project on time.  Currently, the site has been excavated for the septic tank and footings.  Formwork for footings and foundation will begin in November when the students return from semester break.  The roof is scheduled for completion by February, which marks the community's 2nd anniversary at the relief housing development.  This is incentive for the students to complete the roof by this date and celebrate with a party at the Multipurpose Hall.  The aquaponics and site work will begin February, in conjunction with interiors and finishing work.  Every day we are seeing a lot of progress on the job site thanks to community volunteers working alongside architecture, student leaders.

Funding Status

Through your support, we have nearly 60,000 peso roll over funds from year 1, which will be used at the beginning phases of construction for the second project.  Thank you!

Construction Costs 450,000 pesos  (350,000p building + 100,000p aquaponics)

Remaining Roll Over Funds 60,000 pesos

UAPS Scholarship 50,000 pesos

100 bamboo poles donated by PBFI 22,000 pesos

Funds Raised 28,000 pesos

Estudio Damgo is an ongoing course for senior architecture students at Foundation University.  Every graduating class will have to complete a new community project. Many thanks to our donors for making this possible!

Construction work has begun on the project site of Estudio Damgo II at the Core Shelter in barangay Bajumpandan for the long-awaited Panaghiusa Multipurpose Hall.

The Department of Architecture & Fine Arts of Foundation University welcomed more than a hundred guests to a groundbreaking ceremony at the site last September 23 to mark the start of work. 

Dumaguete City Mayor Manuel Sagarbarria, City Administrator William Ablong, DSWD officers, Brgy. Bajumpandan Captain Orlando Enguiq, FU administrators, and Core Shelter residents were among those who attended the activity.

According to the schedule, there are 27 construction weeks to complete the building and site work. Major tasks for week 1 include: site clearing, constructing a bunkhouse, verifying property lines and benchmarks, and staking the foundation. 

Four days before the groundbreaking, the Estudio Damgo team had already managed to get some work done with the help of Core Shelter volunteer residents.

Compared to Estudio Damgo’s first project—the Dungga Day Care—the current design is bigger and more costly. 

“After receiving such news that the scope of the schematic design is too ambitious, we discussed as a team how we could trim out some of the program to match the client and community needs,” said Anna Koosmann, Project Manager and Lead Instructor for Estudio Damgo.

On the other hand, Victor Vicente Sinco, FU vice president for Finance and Administration, said it would have been very easy to make a building made of concrete and glass, however, such is totally inappropriate for the Core Shelter community. According to him, the design is simple and is very functional. “Architecture is not about buildings. It is about designing for communities,” he said. 

In his speech, Mayor Sagarbarria said that this public-private partnership between the city of Dumaguete and Foundation University is a very good opportunity for the people of Dumaguete to move forward. 

“We [the city officials] cannot do it alone,” said Sagarbarria. “I need architects in our city. The city may have a MOA with FU to have architects design for Dumaguete. Our buildings are designed by engineers, not architects. And after that, we would need interior designers,” he added. 

The multipurpose building will provide training and medical service for over 1,000 flood victim residents. The design will also implement a water management system called aquaponics, to use water runoff to raise fish and grow vegetables for their livelihood. Aquaponics is the method of growing crops and fish together in a re-circulating system. Aquaponics will be integrated in the Estudio Damgo Project this year, where the Architecture and Agriculture students will work together in developing and constructing the system.

The Panaghiusa Multipurpose Hall is expected to open in March 2014.