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Master Planning

Siargao Resettlement Project

Location:

Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte

Year:

2022

Plot Area:

10 HAS, 8.5 HAS, 3 HAS (SITE PLAN) + 50 SQM (PROTOTYPE HOUSE)

Status:

Under Construction

The Siargao Resettlement project is a response to the need to rebuild communities and encourage the families affected by Typhoon Odette to resettle in more suitable and well-designed locations in the island of Siargao, Surigao Del Norte. It is a project under the studio’s CSR program that aims to provide homes for 1,000 families, which called for the development of three master plans for the identified sites and a prototype house design that could be quickly built with readily available materials.

The identified sites for resettlement include a 10 hectare site in Barangay Mabuhay, an 8.5 hectare site in Barangay Del Carmen, and a 3 hectare site in Barangay Bitoon.

For each site plan, houses were clustered to create small communities within each site with the intention to encourage strong connections between families. Open spaces, a road network, and interconnected pedestrian pathways where then incorporated into the plan. The studio gave importance to integrating social spaces into each area in each development and thus carved out an abundance of open spaces with various uses and amenities that residents can enjoy. Thoughtfully designed spaces that allow farming and gardening, outdoor games and activities.

Additionally, spaces in between the rear end of houses were made to be wide in order to act as an outdoor extension of the home as well as a lively backyard shared by neighbors. The studio hopes to promote food security through backyard farming.

The prototype house was designed with construction speed and scalability in mind. Having to work with a 10m x 5m lot size and a 30 sqm buildable space, a simple structure was made to include two bedrooms, a living area, a dining area, a shared toilet and bath, and an outdoor kitchen. Materials used include amakan sheets for protection and ventilation, fiber cement boards, bamboo flooring, and marine plywood, and GI sheets for roofing. The design also includes a rain catchment basin for every home.

Through the Siargao Resettlement project, WTA aims to provide immediate assistance to the families affected by Typhoon Odette and also aims to educate ways in which they can build a more sustainable and resilient community.

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