Now on its seventh year, Estudio Damgo student leaders are moving towards the idea of designing a 3-storey viewing tower for the community of Baslay. Due to the rapid growth of tourists and visitors of Baslay Highland Brew Coffee managed by the Baslay Farmers'Association (BFA) that opened last April 2018, the proposal will serve as an extension of the existing coffee shop.
A community of farmers in a remote area known as BFA, is a people's organization that runs the forestal area in Baslay, Dauin. They have been in the agroforestry industry for 3 decades and one of their major crops is coffee, which leads them to operate a coffee shop, what now is known as Highland Brew Coffee. Not foreseeing the number of tourists that visit their place, their existing coffee shop could only accommodate a few numbers of customers and lacks a lasting imprint to the visitors.
The project will serve as an extension to the existing coffee shop, wherein it will provide specific spaces for additional activities. This tower will be sustainable and will serve as the community's identity. Also, this will innovate the use of indigenous materials such as treated bamboos and nipa that will be used as the main materials, utilize the local resources and craftsmanship by the local craftsmen and recognize what truly vernacular architecture is.
The Baslay Highland Brew Coffee, a coffee shop managed by the Baslay Farmers' Association have resulted in tons of success stories, and in order to maintain this flourishing momentum, the Estudio Damgo team envisions themselves in enriching the sustainability of the resources as well as enhancing the livelihood of the Baslayanon through our master plan proposal and the construction of a Viewing Tower, that will serve as an extension to the existing coffee shop.
