The Modification of Barangay halls in the Philippines

an architectural design made for the betterment of a community

Author/s: Architect Marielle Joy Bustmante
Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
[email protected]

Architect Patrice Espera

Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
[email protected]

Architect Ernest Marklord Jose

Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
[email protected]

Architect Kristine Mae Obeles

Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
[email protected]

Architect Francis Gabriel Urag

Mapua University, Manila, Philippines
[email protected]

Abstract:

The Barangay halls are considered as one of the essential buildings that every municipality must have in the
Filipino community. Barangay halls are commonly seen as a terror place where people argue unpleasantly, voicing
out their complaints, discussing their opinions, reconciliation of the parties, et cetera. In this paper, the researchers
will present possible designs by using the concept of perception of space to manipulate and change the views of
Barangay halls in the community into a positive and more welcoming one that will remove the fear and anxiety of
the people who are called to appear in such situations. The proper placement of the elements to define space, the use
of design principles, and the Edward's Halls concept of space-based on perception will help revamp the image of
Barang halls amongst the community. Moreover, improving its purpose as a building, its practicality, and efficiency
will also contribute not only to the perception of the viewer but also, a facility that will provide the needs of the
community.

Keywords: barangay hall, space, design, buildings, community, environment, architecture, concepts, needs, shape

INTRODUCTION

The Barangay is one of the key factors in leading the community to betterment by implementing policies,
planning programs, projects, and activities. Therefore, having a barangay hall is likewise essential for these
activities to be made possible. Barangay Hall is the center place for the community that provides space
where barangay officials and the householders can gather to make discussions, conduct public hearings and
an event hall where the community can use in organizing activities and events. A multi-purpose hall
provides an adequate amount of space with a positive ambiance to raise concerns and discuss different
opinions.

In this paper, the researchers will be tackling more about the concept of perception of space in barangay
halls, making it possible to achieve a positive ambiance and change the public's view of barangay halls into
a positive and welcoming atmosphere. With the use of different elements and principles in defining space
and improving its form and character, in manipulating an individual's perception where they can feel free to
share their opinions and raise their concerns inside the community. On the other hand, the cons of the
spaces will be pointed out to present the design's credibility that tackles along with its practicality and
efficiency.
CONTENT

Proxemics

A barangay hall is the office of the smallest political and administrative office of the Philippines. Some
officials go there to do meetings and important activities or events that are usually held. In constructing a
barangay hall, it is important to make it a comfortable space for the community since it is a public facility
with many occurrences in the surrounding area. Usually, the common space requirements of a barangay
have a daycare center, information desk, office space for the barangay police officers, conference hall,
health care center, and a basketball court. When we look for the barangay hall's positive effects on the
community, we find that it deals with the disaster recovery stage, when locals return to their shattered
communities. It excludes emergency and transitional recovery stages, such as evacuation camps. The tent
evacuation sites recommended the construction of a community building in the shape of a barangay hall,
intending to turn the evacuation center into an official community. Moreover, maintaining a unified
appearance in the barangay hall or the building itself can make it a comfortable space.

On the other hand, building a barangay hall can always have defects that need to be adjusted and fixed,
complicating the government community facility's job. Some are too small compared to the staff, causing
chaos in the barangay hall's environment, which can be problematic when many people are inside. It's also
possible that some building areas aren't entirely equipped, resulting in water leaking on rainy days. Finally,
because this is an off-shore project, there has been no actual site visit, personal encounters with the
barangay hall, disaster, and recovery, and parts of Philippine culture, design, materials, and construction
processes have all been important.

Edward Hall's theory focuses on measuring the distance between individuals when they interact. It has to
do with how people utilize space and how different ways of using it make them feel calm or uneasy. A
barangay hall is a public territory as people are free to enter there to inquire information or concerns.
However, a space for the barangay hall is a good compromise between social and personal space because
some parts, such as the conference hall, are social; this space is good for minimal sounds where meetings or
events are typically held; office space for workers is personal because they can interact with their
coworkers while still having a partition. A basketball court is a public space because it is positioned next to
the barangay hall, which serves as a source of entertainment for the community's residents. Also, important
occasions or events are occasionally commemorated here.

Forms and Characters

The form of a building refers to its shape or arrangement. Form and its polar opposite, space, are the most
important characteristics of architecture. The reciprocal connection is critical, especially on a barangay that
deals with community issues, because the purpose of architecture is to create indoor covered areas for
human occupation. To initiate, humans must stay a safe distance from virtually all of today's major
architectural theory texts. This separation is crucial for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the
patent avoidance and obfuscation of the subject by most architectural theorists. To reveal the key linkages
between architecture and politics, we must instead rely on historical studies.

1.1 Familiar Dissimilarity

The emotion and feeling of a person is significant to a form and When a person sees someone they haven't
seen for a long time, they become happy and excited. Alternatively, when people return to a specific
location associated with their memories, a wave of emotions washes them over. Shapes in architecture have
a symbolic value that influences how people react to them. Architecture today has set newer structures, as
they are constructed, either startle or engage passers-by with their stylistic features. These reactions are part
of a broader picture, a revolution fueled by minor adjustments, dissatisfaction with the status quo, and the
desire for change. This plays a vital role for clients when determining their feelings towards a structure or
the design process. The concept of familiar dissimilarity is when clients are familiar with the structural
design they have seen or encountered. The architect and the client must visualize the plan for it to be more
appropriate to the place. It is also significant to have a client's feedback for the architect's work to see
whether they have understood and visualized the plan. Being familiar with something gives some sense of
peace and calmness in the structure.

1.2 Barangay Hall

The majority of barangay halls in the Philippines have a small-scale design. Some of them are at the
district's center or close to public schools. Due to the small amount of area they occupy in the community,
they are not easily recognizable. The barangay hall is difficult to recognize since it is mainly found in rural
areas(see Figure 1). The lack of space and style in the construction and design makes it less appealing. The
primary function of a barangay hall is to address local concerns and hold meetings; since the space's design
is not very functional, people in the community will have their negative emotions in it. The structure of a
barangay hall is similar to a traditional house outside the rural areas; it is mainly composed of concrete and
steel that makes it more unappealing to the eyes.

1.3 Designing a New and Better Version of a Barangay Hall

Architecture in today's modern world is becoming more and more complex. In the Philippines, there are
specific architectural structures to be followed, especially for the government-based buildings. It follows
particular organizations of elements that are unified and can be seen as a formality. Architects should
consider the design principles such as balance, emphasis, rhythm, unity, harmony, movement, variety, and
proportion. It should have the same sense of formality since it is part of the local government. So should
take it seriously, but it also should include a sense of calmness whenever people pass by or enter it.

Space planning is essential in planning a structure to make it more efficient and functionally satisfying use
of space. The negative and the positive space must be spacious enough to accommodate employees and
citizens. The form can be adjusted by adding or subtracting other forms to make it less intense to the naked
eye. The color palette should be more toned down so that it is not harmful to its visual aspect. A barangay
hall has its own designated hue, brighter, like oranges, blues, greens, and yellows, which stand out amongst
the rest. However, the colors have their meaning; for instance, blue means intelligence, trust, and duty but
can also mean a lack of emotion due to its coldness. Yellow shows optimism, confidence, and self-esteem.
Hues of oranges can be seen as comfort and poverty. Specific colors can reduce tension while also boosting
the energy of the structures. As a result, the barangay hall generates energy from the exterior, making it
unappealing to the people.

In designing a structure like barangay hall, we must consider the five-tier of Maslow's hierarchy(see in
Figure 2). It is crucial to remember in architecture that the psychological impact of a building's design on
the public is just as significant as the structure itself. The five-tier of Maslow's hierarchy provides a
framework providing a primary means to evaluate the impact of built space. This explains how architecture
and interiors could help building occupants meet their psychological needs and expectations.

Environmental Psychology

Based on the given situation, a barangay hall (see Figure 1) deals with negative feedback on the social
interaction of space rather than positive encouragement from the community. As stated in Forms and
Characters form and its the polar opposite, space is the most important architecture characteristic.
Furthermore, the lack of effort to design these establishments renders them unappealing to the general
population, resulting in negative emotions. It's crucial to remember in architecture that the psychological
impact of a building's design on the public is just as significant as the structure itself. Environmental
psychology aims to demonstrate how our environment influences the way we feel and behave—integrating
a variety of other well-known design disciplines, such as ergonomics and anthropometrics — mainly
focusing on individuals, addressing complicated relationships and concerns between environmental factors
and people's thoughts and actions.

1.1 Maslow’s hierarchy

Architects have long encompassed Maslow's five-tier hierarchy of needs (see in figure 2) into spatial
organizations and environmental psychology programs. The five-tier system provides a framework
providing a primary means to evaluate the impact of built space. It explains how architecture and interiors
could help building occupants meet their psychological needs and expectations.

Fresh air for breathing, food, water, shelter, and clothing are the psychological needs and necessities for
human life. Safety needs are seen as a means of addressing future physiological needs. It includes the need
for structure, order, security, protection, and predictability of the society. The third hierarchy level,
love/belonging, focuses mainly on a person's social relationship. The needs for friends and companions, a
supportive family, and an intimate relationship are included here. We do know that a person doesn't want to
be alone in a certain community.Self- Esteem needs require recognition from other people, resulting in
feelings of prestige, acceptance, status, and self-esteem that result in feelings of acknowledgment,
competence, and confidence—discouragement, and feelings of inadequacy result from a lack of satisfying
esteem needs. Lastly, Self-actualization sits at the apex of the pyramid. Humans have an innate desire to
maximize their potential and strive to be the best for their progress and self-fulfillment.

The five tiers of Maslow's Hierarchy are significant in an architectural design to suit the demands of both
users and practitioners in a facility. Users are first addressed to the functional needs of the five tiers of the
framework given directly by a barangay hall as barangay officials and volunteers. In most buildings,
practitioners meet our community's demand for beauty and neatness, but in a barangay hall, practitioners
may also address the tiers when they are appointed.

1.2 Design Disciplines

1.2.1 Ergonomics
The fundamental purpose of incorporating ergonomics into an architectural design is to improve human-
built environment interactions to improve human satisfaction with their surroundings while also improving
building performance. It strives to design workspaces that are safe, comfortable, and productive by
considering human strengths and limits, such as body size, strength, skill, speed, sensory capacities (vision,
hearing), and even attitudes. Ergonomics in building design is significant in various ways and are usually
divided into three categories: physical, which deals with the physical characteristics and measurements of
the human body; psychological, which deals with the psychological aspects of the human body; and social,
which deals with the social aspects of the human body.

The issue of incorporating existing ergonomics-based design research programs currently underrepresents
the topic of incorporating ergonomics principles into the early stages of schematic planning and conceptual
formulation of a design concept. Relating this to the situation of barangay hall in today's world, the lack of
ergonomics in the building's architectural structure has resulted in a psychological domino effect on its
surroundings. It has an impact on the emotions and behavior of the establishment's users and practitioners.
 1.2.2 Anthropometrics

Anthropometrics is the comparative study of the human body's measurements and capabilities (see Figure
4). It is used in building design to ensure that everyone is as comfortable as possible. It means that the
building's dimensions must be appropriate, high ceilings, broad doorways and hallways, and so on. It
becomes notably necessary in office design, connecting the desk, chair, keyboard, and computer. This
discipline can be distinguished into static anthropometry. It involves measuring body sizes when at rest and
using items; functional anthropometry involves measuring abilities related to job performance, such as
space and equipment consumption. The building regulations provide architects with a set of standard
requirements and approved solutions to help develop appropriate designs.

Relating the said topic into the given situation in a barangay hall. It is said to have a comfortable working
space for the officials and barangay volunteers if the idea underlying anthropometrics is that buildings
should adapt to humans rather than the other way around.

1.3 Behavioral Concepts

According to Irwin Altman, Environmental psychology is concerned with behavioral notions including
privacy, personal space, territoriality, and crowding. Based on observation, interpersonal stress is caused
by excessive contact with an enormous number of individuals. A similar situation exists at the barangay
hall, where people attempt to contemplate a conflict in a building and form a place regulating the
behavioral concepts observed in those who utilize the space. Environmental designers and architects adhere
to the four behavioral notions to limit potential damage to the psychological environment.

1.3.1 Personal Space, Privacy, Territoriality, and Crowding

The four behavioral concepts are used to design a multifunctional barangay hall for the betterment and
positivity of the community. The general approach of the concept is to create responsive surroundings that
will allow simple change between separateness and togetherness of the officials and community volunteers.
Personal space is essential to any space or structure. It is an area that expands or contracts due to individual
needs and social circumstances. Privacy is also necessary to any space to give quality peace for the higher
officials. Architects should create environments that can adapt to people's changing requirements for
interactions. Adding doors and walls is the best suggestion for this concept. Territoriality, Personal space,
and Privacy are most likely to be the same. It gives special treatment for one's self to create a personal
space in a room. Lastly, crowding provides psychological discomfort for the community. It has been the
main problem of the barangay hall in the given situation. Crowding gives a negative vibe to the people in
the community. Creating designated areas in the barangay hall for the people's comfort and safety. These
four behavioral concepts will help empower the hall's design concept and make it more spacious.
1.1 Illustrations

Figure 1: Talara III, City of Bacoor barangay hall

Figure 2: Maslow’s Hierarchy

 Figure 3: Ergonomics and Human factors Engineering

Figure 4 : Anthropometrics

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the barangay is among the essential elements in guiding the community toward improvement
through the implementation of policies, the design of programs, the performance of projects, and
conducting of activities. A multi-purpose hall offers sufficient space in a welcoming environment where
people may voice their issues and debate different points of view. Due to the fact that it is an open public
facility with numerous events taking place in the surrounding area, it is critical to design a barangay hall
that is both functional and pleasant for the community. The architecture wasn't just a kind of visual art, but
it is also an art that appeals to the senses. An architecture that responds to sensory input has the capability
of re-creating an experience. It is essential that the Barangay Hall can distribute a sensation to each of the
senses, along with feeling distinct for each of its given frames. An ideal Barangay Hall ought to make a
person feel like they are a part of the community and not frighten them yet allow hidden aspects that can
accommodate any culture of the individual that enters the building. Edward Hall's theory is concerned with
how individuals interact with space and how various interacting methods make them feel peaceful or
uncomfortable. A barangay hall is considered a public place since anybody is welcome to come in and ask
questions or express concerns.

On the other hand, a building may always have flaws that need to be modified or repaired, making the
community facility's work more difficult. Designers have long used Maslow's five-tiered hierarchy of needs
in their spatial organizations as well as their environmental psychology training programs. There is an
explanation of how architecture and interior design may assist building inhabitants in meeting their
psychological requirements and expectations. Ergonomics is concerned with designing safe, pleasant, and
productive workplaces while taking human strengths and limitations into consideration.
Anthropometrics/Measurement techniques are the scientific study of the measurements and capacities of
the human body in comparison to other organisms.

This term is used in building design to guarantee that everyone has the most tremendous amount of comfort
as feasible. It is being shown that an inadequate level of ergonomics in a building may negatively impact
the surrounding area. This is very important since it connects the desk, chair, keyboard, and computer when
it comes to office design. Environmental psychology is concerned with concepts such as privacy, personal
boundaries, territoriality, and overcrowding that are associated with human behavior. According to what
has been seen, excessive interaction with a large number of people results in increased levels of
interpersonal stress. Essentially, the concept's primary strategy is to build responsive environments that
enable authorities and community volunteers to easily transition from a separate to a united state of being.