Estudio Damgo III: A Filipino Design+Build Studio

Seeing the Marine Sanctuary Center floating on the sea is a dream come true to the design team of Estudio Damgo III for nine months ago (August 2014) all we have was just the miniature model we tested on the same site.

March 2015 was supposedly the deadline of the project but due to some circumstances that is out of the team’s control, the construction was extended for another two months. But despite this, we never ceased to continue the dream we have from the very beginning. We took a break on April and came back on the month of May. We reorganized, made some adjustments on the schedule and the work distribution in order to bring back the momentum we have before the break. Laying out the markers on the actual site (which is approximately 200 meters away from the boulevard), dropping the deadman (concrete foundation), Lifting and floating the base structure, and assembling the upper structure were the major activities for the last few weeks of construction.

The divers from Dauin volunteered themselves to help the team with things that needs to be done underwater. Fully geared, the four divers laid out the nine buoys as markers of the building on the second week of May. The following week, the entity that poured the concrete on the formworks of the concrete foundation delivered it to the site. But we were not able to bring the foundation on its actual location that day. Lifting it was impossible with the plan we initially have. It was a nightmare! The people who helped lifting have used all their energies but it didn’t make any difference. Given that situation, the team thought of a plan B to drop the foundation in place. They fabricated a steel raft with barrels as the floatation to be the courier of the concrete foundation from the shoreline to the site. The A-frame and a chain block at the shop were the solution to the challenge encountered in lifting the deadman. And thankfully, we were successful on our second attempt! The lead diver, was the one who gave the command and direction to those who volunteered in pulling and dropping the concrete on site. The Philippine Coast Guard were also there to help the team, they sent their men equipped with aluminum boat and diving apparatuses.

The spirit of camaraderie and unity was the key to the accomplishment of lifting the platform of the structure to the sea. People from Barangay Bantayan, Foundation University workers and Estudio Damgo III team lifted the base structure with our bare hands. Slowly, we slide the structure into the ramp down to the sea and in a span of five hours, we are able to float the two 4m X 8m base structure modules on the water. That time, the team showed that “bayanihan” still exist these days.

Estudio Damgo III team with the workers then started to construct and assemble the upper portion of the structure. It wasn’t easy assembling it on top of a moving water especially when the weather is bad or when the wind is blowing hard. But these factors didn’t stop us in completing the project. The upper structure is almost done both its exterior and interior. The project will be inaugurated on July 2, 2015.