Agri industrial sustainable community

Agri-Industrial Sustainable Community

Franz Miko G. Verzon

Project Location

Gawad Kalinga Dy Tiak Pono Village, Zone 5, Barangay Bahay, Libmanan, Camarines Sur

Project Description

The Agri-Industrial Sustainable Community is an experimental typology of an ecovillage which includes three developments. These are the settlement infrastructure, production land use and protection land use.

Agri-Industrial : Production Land UseSustainable : Protection Land UseCommunity: Settlement Infrastructure

Project Description

The proposed project can be the most radical composition that resulted from the complex problems and issues in our country today which can be compressed into that of limited physical and economic resources and increasing demands from a population that continues to grow to unprecedented levels.

Project Description

The proposed project involves different polarities for maximum adaptation and flexibility which covers public-private, independent-dependent community and many others.

This project embodies the redefining of the environment as a coupling of both the natural givens and built domain which enable a certain and troubling convergence of resources and populations to emerge.

‘Change the environment, change the man.’ – Le Corbusier

Project Description

With the issues and concerns, a search for an organization that supports and solves as much of the issues of our country is needed. Gawad Kalinga is one of those organizations. They have six programs that answers problems like education, food sufficiency, health care, housing, environment and values formation and with the last new program that tries to help the alleviation of poverty.

Project Description

With the start of 2011, the Social Artistry in Gawad Kalinga’s Road Map Development begins. This second phase out of the three segments of the development shall concentrate on creating ideal models of the community articulating the different programs they have.

Lot Description

The lot is along the national road which is labeled as the Maharlika Street. The site is undulated with having gentle slopes opposing directions. The lot is surrounded by wild forestry which includes variations of trees. It also has a creek that runs along its border which connects to one of the largest rivers in the country, the Bicol River. This river runs along the whole of Camarines Sur.

Lot Description

The lot has irregular boundaries. It contains different types of land which comprises of. The lot also has existing structures built because of the previous establishments made and created by Gawad Kalinga.

Building Type

Land now is considered to be a finite and renewable source and density has become an ecological response to a lack of space. An accumulation of built spaces inside a building must result in a more multi-functional and better quality space for the community.

‘Bigness is ultimate architecture.’ – Rem Koolhaas

Building Type

Bigness has a parallel potential for the reorganization of the social world – a vastly richer programmation.

It is a theoretical domain in a landscape of disarray, disassembly, dissociation, disclamation, the attraction of Bigness is its potential to reconstruct the Whole, resurrect the Real, reinvent the collective, reclaim maximum possibility.

‘It is the last bastion of architecture – a contraction, a hyper-architecture.’ – Rem Koolhaas

Building Type

Agri-Industrial Sustainable Community is a mixed-use development that covers four sectors in its spatial composition. These are:

Residential ZoneCommercial ZoneOffice ZoneAgri-Industrial ZoneInfrastructure Zone

Macro Site Analysis

Location, Land Area and Political Subdivisions

Geographical LocationLand Area and Political SubdivisionPopulation and SettlementsOther CharacteristicsExisting Settlement Patterns

Geographical Location

Camarines Sur is located in the heart of Bicol Peninsula at the southeastern part of Luzon.

It is bounded on the north by the Province of Camarines Norte and San Miguel Bay, on the northeast by the Pacific Ocean, on the northwest by the Province of Quezon, on the south by the Province of Albay, on the southeast by Lagonoy Gulf and on the southwest by the Ragay Gulf.

It is about 450 kilometers southeast of Manila.

Land Area and Political Subdivisions

With a land area of 5,266.80 square kilometers, the province is composed of 35 municipalities and 2 cities.

It is subdivided into four congressional districts for better management.

Population and Settlements

Regional and National Context

Camarines Sur which occupies 30.23% of the Revion V’s land area has the largest population among the six provinces with population density ranking third next to Albay and Sorsogon in the region and growth rate ranks second to Camarines Norte.

Other Characteristics

During the 2000 census, there were 11 municipalities with a population density of more than 500 ppkm2 and were considered urban. In the year 2007 and 2013, 12 and 13 municipalities, respectively, were projectedly classified as urban.

The additional population of the province from year 2007 until the end of the Vision period, in year 2037, is 817,085 persons. By then, the total population of the province will be 2,510,916.

Other Characteristics

Naga City, Iriga City and Municipality of Libmanan have the greater share in the total population of the province which is 8.88%, 5.73% and 5.72% respectively.

Legazpi City is primarily a major urban center where the province of Camarines Sur has strong linkage. The former has been declared as Regional Center.

The major urban center Naga City and other centers comprising Iriga and the municipalities of Pili, Libmanan and Calabanga will receive the bulk of population shares in year 2037.

Macro Site Analysis

Physical ResourcesTopography and SlopeOther Physical FeaturesLand and Water ResourcesLand Use Potentials and Constraints

Topography and Slope

It is generally, hilly and mountainous, its flat central area is known as the Bicol Plains that forms like a basin with other small coastal plains.

Mangroves and nipa swamps abound along the coasts.

The province has three lakes and it is transverse by rivers, streams and creeks which is home to thousands of rice growing farmers.

Topography and Slope

The pedo-ecological zone best describe the province’s landscape in reference to elevation, temperature regime and slope. It covers warm lowland pedo-ecological zone, warm cool upland, the warm cool hilly land and the cool high land.

Slope covers all classes which include level to nearly level terrain [34.52%], 3 to 8% terrain [10.26%], 8 – 18% terrain [24.81%] which is beyond the agricultural production zone limit.

Other Physical Features

Mountain. Several mountains exist in the province. Mount Isarog being the most significant not only because of its rich bio-diversity but because of its geographic location.

River System. There are at least 14 river systems in the province, 3 are considered major river systems.

Broad Bicol Plain. Camarines Sur shares the largest area in the Bicol plain which extends to adjacent province of Albay. There is a broad alluvial landscape situated in the mid-section of the province.

Ragay Hills is the hill formation which extends from Ragay to Bato runs parallel to the broad alluvial plain and serves as natural barrier to the effect of tidal intrusion of Ragay Gulf.

Land and Water Resources

Land Resources. Land resources are the most abundant resources with comparison of the two. The resources come from the diversity of topography found in the province.

Water Resources. Three main marine bodies play significant economic function to the coastal communities it directly affect. Ragay Gulf being the biggest.


Geological Feature. The Bicol Plain, the nipa and the mangrove swamps, the coastal plains and small valleys between hills have alluvial deposits of different textural classes from clay to sand and gravel. The Bicol Plain consists of loam, clay deposits with silt materials along banks of the Bicol River.

The rolling and hilly area in the western part of the province from the southern provincial boundary to the upper section of Libmanan, is composed of coraline limestone which is generally massive.


Climate. A tropical climate with 2 distinct variations describes the climate of the province. From October to January, the Northeast Monsoon prevails while the North Pacific trade winds occur from February to September coinciding with the South trade winds.

The northeastern portion has a type II climate, while the western side type III and the mid-portion type IV.

Wind velocity is highest in December at 5.92 kilometers/hour and lowest in March 3.33 kilometers/hour.

Humidity is highest in September at 86% and lowest in May at 76%.

Land Use Potentials and Constraints

Favorable physical characteristics and good qualities of the land dictate the land use potentials in the province.

In terms of agricultural land use, potential for rice growing is significantly competitive in the province as compared with other provinces of the Bicol region having the highest harvest in the region.

It has the largest share of plain landscape and has the most fertile volcanic foot slopes around Mt. Isarog and Mt. Iriga.


Several seasonal flooding constrained most of the low lying rice producing municipalities of the province considering the central basin serving as the catchment area.

In the upland areas, cultivated crops like corn, sugarcane, root crops and vegetables have promising agricultural lands use potential in the province.

Corn is the most promising crop in the upland which serves Camarines Sur as the highest in the region together with sugarcane, vegetables and root crops.


In the tree crop production agri-zone, industrial crops, like coconut and abaca are extensively grown in the province.

For pasture and inland fishery development, present land utilization exceeds the suitable area which means that there is no more area for expansion but needs land use resolution or possible reversion.

Micro Site Analysis

Physical ProfileLocation and Land AreaPolitical SubdivisionTopographySoilClimateHydrology

Location and Land Area

Libmanan is located in the southwestern part of the province of Camarines Sur.

It is traversed by the Bicol River, the biggest river in the province of Camarines Sur. It is accessible by motor boat from Naga City and other nearby municipalities, by bus and by train.

Political Subdivision

Libmanan has 75 barangays, 9 of which are considered urban and rural barangays comprise 66. there are 5 barangays located in the coastal areas and the remaining 70 are distributed in the lowlands and upland portions of the municipality.

Topography

The total land area of the municipality is estimated at 33,162.80 hectares of which 24,110 hectares are devoted to agriculture. Along the Ragay Gulf, the continuous coastline covers an expanse of 12 kilometers.

Soil

Soils within the area are of five types: the tigaon soil, hydrosol, Pili clay loam, Balongay clay and Faraon clay. These soil types are rich in organic matter and easy to cultivate practically suited to almost all types of agricultural crops

Climate

Tropical climate dominates the area with a relatively constant temperature throughout the year. 2 distinct seasons prevail in the area, these are the dry and wet seasons.

The soaring heat of summer occurs periodically in the months from March to April and torrential rains begins from September to December.

Climate

The wind direction in the area varies from season to season. From June to December, the wind follows a northeasterly course where tropical depression usually occurs.

Like most of the municipalities in Camarines Sur, Libmanan is located within the frontiers of the typhoon belt zone.

Notwithstanding the bleak weather, almost all types of crops may be grown in the area because rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year.

Hydrology

Apart from Ragay Gulf and Caima Bay which provide the residents a fishing ground for commercial and domestic consumption, the municipality abounds with several inland waters of springs, rivers and creeks.

Meanwhile, irrigation water for the fields emanates from the Bicol River. These rivers, springs and creeks serve as drainage outlets of flood waters.

Site Analysis

Site Photos

Office and Sibol School Bed and Breakfast

Site Photos

Row of Houses Grotto - Garden

Site Photos

Slope Terrain Fishpond with Pavilion

Site Photos

Bayan-Anihan Farm View of Housing from Afar

Site Photos

Farthest Rice Plot Garbage Holding Area

Site Photos

Rice Plots Sloping Terrain Rice Plots

Site Strengths

The site is located along the National Road.It is also located in alienable and disposable land.The site experiences a slightly sloping undulation

of land.The soil type of the site is suitable for planting any

variations.The site has lots of existing variety of plants and

trees, mostly coconut trees.The site has a good view of the mountains.

Site Strengths

The site has already been proven livable by the existing residents of the adjacent communities.

The community has already been accepting many tourists/visitors.

The land of the site is suitable for irrigated rice.

The site has a peaceful and quiet environment.

Design Strategies

PassiveActiveRenewableHigh-Performance

Passive

Exploitation of Voids. The creation of voids is the typical solution to sustainability for most structures. Through voids, one can manipulate movement of the wind. Included in this is fenestration of the building envelope and the atrium or the vertical voids in the structure.

Exploitation of Voids

Passive

Land Multiplier. Through vertical layering of the surfaces whether it would be ceiling or floor can achieve multiplied result of greeneries. Vertical stacking can be one fine example.

The design can capitalize on the limited site by incorporating extensive roof gardens, landscaped sky terraces and suspended agricultural plots.

Land Multiplier

Passive

Multiplicity of Indoor and Outdoor Spaces. An alternate organization of indoor and outdoors spaces shall make use of the natural environment surrounding the structure. This can result to the maximization of the potentials of the tropics.

Multiplicity of Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

Passive

Permaculture in Agriculture. The importance of diversity is not so much the number of elements in a system; rather it is the number of functional connections between these elements. It is all about the number of ways to make things work.

This system explains how interconnected relationships between the land, climate, soils, water, structures, flora and fauna can be fostered to the benefit of all.

The site is full of information on every natural subject and one must learn to read it.

Permaculture

Passive

Maximizing Synthetic Landscapes. There have been numerous organizing strategies to develop landscape and ecological approaches in connecting architecture to urban context. Ecology and landscape are useful because they are free from control and closure. They address complexity of loosely structured organizations that grow and change with time. It is opposing to the idea of the a designed object.

Maximizing Synthetic Landscape

Active

Zero-Waste Management. It is the redesign of resource life cycle so that all products are reused . Any trash sent to landfill is minimal.

Active

Agricultural Landscape. As an agricultural country, there can be potentials in enhancing the production of this sector. Articulating it in the spatial composition of a housing unit can generate better production.

Integral design at the household level is to begin to recreate the opportunities for the people to participate in an environmentally-concerned activity. This can assume that the user can become an active and intelligent participant in managing and maintaining the environment.

Agricultural Landscape

Renewable

There are numerous and various kinds of making use of renewable energy. The positivity in the usage of this is all about the abundance and the helpful effect it has on the environment.

Rainwater Harvesting. It is the accumulation and storage of rainwater for reuse. Since the climate in the site draws a lot of rain in a year span, there would be a lot of potential in this renewable energy.

Rainwater Reservoir

Renewable

Wind Energy Harvesting [Wind Turbines]. A wind turbine is a device that converts kinetic energy into mechanical energy or electricity. Having a minimum wind velocity of 5.92 kilometers/hour, there shall be a stable energy collection.

Wind Turbines

Renewable

Solar Energy Harvesting [Solar Panels]. It is a packaged, interconnected assembly of solar cells. This can be used for the generations and supply of electricity in commercial and residential applications.

Solar Panels

High-Performance

Parametricism in Sustainability. Parametricism is another system that fully integrates and articulates differentiation and opposition.

At a broader scope, it implies that all architectural elements are parametrically malleable. Instead of the classical and modern reliance on ideal or rigid geometrical figures [straight lines, rectangles…] the new primitives of parametricism are animate, dynamic and interactive entities [hair, cloth, blobs…] depending on the parameters present.

Parametricism

Scheme 02: Concept-Form

Conclusion

There is already an emerging integration of architecture and ecology especially with the green and sustainability movements. There are also many analogies between evolution of organisms and human production of objects especially buildings. We should not only imitate the forms of plants and animals but the methods in design analogous to the processes of growth and evolution of nature.