CHAPTER III:

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

I n order to effectively relay the full idea of what
the researchers want to establish in this project, the
researchers used a descriptive method of research. The
researchers aim to give valuable evaluation and
interpretation of materials related to this study. This
would enable them to discern the vital details that
would support and verify the proposed treatment
facility at Estero de Vitas in Tondo, Manila
Descriptive research, otherwise known as
statist ical research, describes information and
characteristics about the population or events being
studied.

Such method is suitable for this study because
the project requires description of how the condition of
the estero evolved through time, and how many lives
are being affected by a polluted body of water.
TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES

The researchers utilized the following
methods and techniques in order to gather
significant data that would support the feasibility
of the proposal:
Documentation and data gathering
The researchers chose substantial and
significant pieces of information after going
through various related readings and studies from
the following sources:


LIBRARIES - related
information from various
reliable archives.



INFORMAL SOURCES
o The I NTERNET Websites of some private and
government sector operations that cater to the
rehabilitation and care not only of the estuaries
but of several polluted and neglected bodies of
water.
o Newspaper articles / Magazines Valuable
recorded information regarding the
environmental issue of pollution in the Philippines.
o Related studies / PDF books Verified related
studies regarding water treatment procedures
and facilities mostly from foreign sources.


INTERVIEWS one of the methods of
acquiring first -hand information straight
from a reliable authority.

SITE VISIT a very architectural method of
gathering information about the
prospect sites/locations which are found
to be the most suitable for the proposed
project.


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Chapter four

CHAPTER IV:
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND ARCHITECTURAL
PROGRAMMING


SITE SELECTION

Site selection process is one of the fundamentals
of architectural programming. I t entails a deliberate
analysis of the site to come up with the most suitable
and desirable location for a proposed project. This
comprehensive study of the possible land site
encompasses various factors which may affect the
constructed project in reference to its environment. I t
typically includes the analysis of the contextual forces
that influence how to situate a building, layout and
orient its spaces, shape and articulate its enclosure,
and establish its relationship to the landscape. Any site
survey begins with the gathering of physical site data.
1


1Ching, Francis D.K., Building Construction Illustrated, 4thed
2Ibid

Site analysis involves the following aspects
2
:

Area and shape of the site as defined by its
legal boundaries;
Required setbacks, existing easements, and
rights-of-way;
Area and volume required for the building
program, site amenities, and future expansion, if
desired;
Ground slopes and subsoil conditions to locate
the areas suitable for construction and outdoor
activities;
Steep and moderate slopes that may be
unsuitable for development ;
Soil areas suitable for use as a drainage field, if
applicable;





Existing drainage patterns;
Elevation of water table;
Areas subject to excessive runoff of surface
water, flooding, or erosion;
Existing trees and native plant materials that
should be preserved;
Existing water features, such as wetlands,
streams, watersheds, flood plains, or shorelines
that should be protected;
Climatic conditions: the path of the sun, the
direction of the prevailing winds, and the
expected amount of rainfall;
I mpact of landforms and adjacent structures on
solar access, prevailing winds, and potential for
glare;
Solar radiation as a potential energy source;
Possible points if access from public roadways
and public transit stops;
Proximity to public, commercial, medical, and
recreational facilities





Possible circulation paths for pedestrians and
vehicles from these access points to building
entrances;
Availability of utilities: water mains, sanitary and
storm sewers, gas lines, electrical power lines,
telephone and cable lines, and fire hydrants;
Access to municipal services, such as police
and fire protection;
Scope of desirable views as well as
objectionable views;
Potential sources of congestion and noise;
Compatibility of adjacent and proposed land
uses;
Cultural and historical resources that should be
preserved; and
Existing scale and character of the
neighborhood or area that might affect the
building design.




SITE SELECTION CRITERIA

o Accessibility
I t is essential that the site is easy to reach
through the existence of road networks, both public
and private. Transportation to the site may be
through land, sea, or aerial means. I t is necessary
that any of these is present for ease of access.
However, land transportation is the most common
requirement.







o Orientation
Refers to the position of the site with respect
to the directions: north, east, west, & south. This
significant component of planning dictates the
allocation of spaces on the site aswell as in the
structure, itself.

o Size & topographical behavior of the lot
The size or the lot area of the site is also one
of the contributing factors to the planning of the
project. I t somehow sets the limitations of the
construction of the structure and the planning of
the spaces both in and out of the building. This
also gives the idea of which type of development
is suited for the project, whether horizontal or
vertical development.

Topography refers to the configuration of
surface features of a plot of land, which
influences where and how to build and develop
a site. The study of it is typically done through the
instrument of a topographic map which shows
the contour lines of the site.




o Physical Environment

I t may also be referred to as the
geography of the site. This includes various
landforms, water features, and other
environmental conditions such as climate
and how the project would respond to these
phenomena. Through this, the planning &
design of the proposal should be, therefore,
adaptive.










o Availability of basic utilities & technical
services

I t is definitely requisite that the site
is sustainable in terms of the utilities and
serviceswhich it would need. Of course,
it must be supported by various
providerssuch as electric, water, and
telecommunications companies. There
has to be the presence of these utility
services for the maintenance and
operation of the project.








o Land Use Compatibility

As per legal bounds, every locale implements its own land use
andzoning plan and policies which serve as the organizational
foundation of urban or municipal planning. This sets the zoning of a
locale based on each areas reserved use. Typically, these zones
include residential, commercial, industrial, institutional, tourism, & other
zoning typologies. Constructing a project requires compatibility with
the site otherwise, it is not permitted by thelocal authority.








o Community Structure
Organization does not only entail
spatial aspect when it comes to
architecture. I t also connotes socio-political
and economic stability within the site. The
kind of social environment the site has
affects the project both in the ideal
conception as well as in the physical
structure itself. The socio-political and
economic status of the locale poses
qualifications on the realization of the
proposal. These greatly influence the
feasibility of the project.




o Governance
Active public governance must be present as well
in the locale of the site. This body is an important
sector of a community which also serves as a
determinant of a progressive society. I f a certain
place is regulated properly, then there would be
peace & order on that seat. This also lays the
foundation for well-organized vicinity a desirable
spot for project development.







SITE PROFILE
E S T E RO DE V I T AS ( T o n d o , Ma n i l a )
A channel that drains water from Manila (as
far as Tayuman), and dumps water directly
unto Manila Bay. I t is bounded by Juan Luna
street on the west, Franco street on south,
Herbosa street on south east, Tayuman street
on the east and Capulong street on the north.
Estero de Vitas garbage disposal reaches 670
cubic meters annually, MMDA and DENR tried
to rehabilitate this area in 2000, but informal
settlers keeps on coming back.




The present condition of Estero de Vitas is very unsightly,
solid waste, human and animal discharges, and other chemicals
contaminate the whole stretch of the estuary. I ts once beauty
and dignity has been forgotten.

SITE ANALYSIS
(The diagram shows the
sun path and wind
direction in the area)
The time zone in Vitas
Estero is Asia/Manila
Morning Sunrise at
05:43 and Evening
Sunset at 18:13. I t's
light
Rough GPS position
Latitude. 14.6333,
Longitude. 120.9667
Temperature: 30C /
86F
Wind: 9.2km/h West
Cloud: Few at 2500ft
Broken at 10000ft





SITE FINAL SELECTION
The illustrated sites are the lots where
the Treatment Facility could be possibly
erected.


USER ANALYSIS

User analysis is always done in any architectural proposal so as to determine who the possible
occupants of the structure are. I n this analysis, the researchers will be able to gauge not only the users per
se but as well their specific roles/behaviors, and activities that will determine the spaces that are needed
to be considered in the planning process. These spaces are the areas essential for the users to function
their role in the project. The diagram below shows the different users, their comparisons and analysis, and
the spaces the researchers decided to place for them to function well.

USER

USER SPECIFIC ACTIVITY

BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

USER SPECIFIC
PLACE


Building
Administrator

Building administrator facilitates the
operation of the whole facility and
supervises the preservation and
maintenance of the whole building.

Enters the proposed
facility, goes to his/her
designated table or
area, performs its
designated job and after
office hours, logs-out and
leaves.

Administrative
Office
Private Toilet





USER

USER SPECIFIC ACTIVITY

BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

USER SPECIFIC
PLACE



Chief Chemist

Analyzes water samples, evaluates
data and reports results, operates and
maintains laboratory instruments and
equipment .

Enters the proposed
facility, goes to his/her
designated table or
area, performs its
designated job and after
office hours, logs-out and
leaves.


Proposed Facility
Private Toilet





Assistant Chemists

Assist the chemists to operate and
maintains laboratory instruments and
equipment, organize the laboratory
instruments and equipment before the
chief chemists perform the treatment
procedures

Enters the proposed
facility, goes to his/her
designated table or
area, performs its
designated job and after
office hours, logs-out and
leaves.



Proposed Facility
Private Toilet




USER

USER SPECIFIC ACTIVITY

BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

USER SPECIFIC
PLACE



River Warriors

Manage and safeguard the
estuary; keep the cleanliness
within the site

Enter the administrative shed
then log-in, go to its designated
table or area, perform their
designated jobs, report to their
superior, and after office hours,
they log-out and leave

Administrative
Office
Maintenance Shed
Semi-Private Toilets



Passersby

People who usually crosses the
site

Walks on the main street within
the vicinity


Promenade




USER

USER SPECIFIC ACTIVITY

BEHAVIORAL ANALYSIS

USER SPECIFIC
PLACE



Security Personnel

Protect the target users from
crime incidents and uphold the
peace and order to the area

Stay prepared and attentive at
the security room, roam around
the site areas vicinity and
check anything that threats the
target users of the
development


Security room
Promenade
Semi Private Toilet



Estero
Development
Officer

Periodically visit the development
to check its condition

Goes to the site, roams around
the development to take note
of its condition, and leaves the
site after evaluating


Temporary Office



SPACE ANALYSIS

Space analysis is often done in architectural proposals so as to determine the function and purpose
of the proposed spaces in accordance with the space considerations from the user analysis. I n this
analysis, the classifying of spaces to private, semi private, or public, is also done. The classification of
spaces is done so that the researchers could gauge what are the spaces that could be clustered
together in one area to another. This provides a smooth traffic flow inside the proposed building.

SPACE

ACTIVITY/USE

PUBLIC/PRIVATE

CONSIDERATIONS



Proposed Facility

An industrial structure designed to
remove biological or chemical
waste products from water,
thereby permitting the treated
water to be used for other
purposes




Private

Must be large enough to cover the
mechanisms and processes used to
treat waters that have been
contaminated in some way by
anthropogenic industrial or
commercial activities prior to its
release into the environment or its
re-use




SPACE

ACTIVITY/USE

PUBLIC/PRIVATE

CONSIDERATIONS

Administrative
Office/ River Warrior
Office

A small structure allotted for the
river warriors


Private

A small structure allotted for the
river warriors


Promenade

Space allocated for the passerby
to walk and to view the estuary


Public

Design must be natural, adaptable
to its environment, proficient, and
inadmissible to flooding

Security Room
(With semi-private
toilet)

Space assigned for the security
officer to stay as he finish roaming
and had secured the vicinity


Semi- Private Position where it is visible to the
public and had a view of the
vicinity




SPACE

ACTIVITY/USE

PUBLIC/PRIVATE

CONSIDERATIONS

Private Toilet

Area for hygienic purposes
allotted for the chief chemists
and assistant chemists



Private

Must not badly affect the estuary
and should complement the total
design of the development


Semi-Private Toilets

Area for hygienic purposes
allotted for the river warriors


Semi-Private

Design must be natural, adaptable
to its environment, proficient, and
inadmissible to flooding

Parking Area

An area allotted for the vehicles


Semi- Private
Must be well administered and well
lighted at night and signage must
be present




BUBBLE SPACE DIAGRAM



Bubble space diagrams are
illustrations that show the spaces
in a structure already in the
proposed plan. A bubble space
diagram is a medium that most
architects and planners begin
with in establishing the start of a
concrete plan for the spaces. This
is their aid in imagining how the
flow within the building would
happen. This diagram which
seems to be a sketch or draft of
the whole plan should not be
taken aside for a single mistake in
the analysis would cause
disruption in the proposed
harmonious flow within the
structure.


Pre-treatment - I n pre-treatment, materials
that are easily collected from the raw
sewage are removed before they damage
or clog the pumps and sewage lines of the
primary treatment clarifiers. The most
common examples of these include trash,
tree limbs, leaves, branches and other
large objects.
Primary Treatment Sewage water is
momentarily stored or held in a quiescent
basin where heavy solids can settle down
to the bottom while oil, grease and lighter
solids float and are suspended on the
surface. The settled and floating materials
are taken away and the remaining fluid
may be discharged or may be subjected
to secondary treatment.
Secondary Treatment The dissolved and
suspended biological matters are
eradicated through the use of indigenous,
water-borne micro-organisms that are kept
in a managed habitat. Secondary
treatment may require a separation
process to remove the micro-organisms
from the treated water prior to discharge
or tertiary treatment.

Tertiary Treatment more often than not defined as anything
more than primary and secondary treatment in order to allow
rejection into a highly sensitive or fragile ecosystem (estuaries,
low-flow Rivers, coral reefs, etc.) Treated water from time to time
is disinfected chemically or physically prior to discharge into a
stream, river, bay, lagoon or wetland, or it can be used for
irrigation. I f it is sufficiently clean, it can be also be used for
groundwater recharge or for agricultural purposes.


Odor Removal Biofilters - The sewage treatment facility often emits odors
THE FRAMEWORK