Philippines Design + Build Studio: EDII 02 and 03

Ground breaking and excavation have begun. The following are photos from construction weeks 2 and 3. Estudio Damgo students and with assistance from Core Shelter volunteers, a lot of progress has been made. Our partnership with the City of Dumaguete has its perks. We were able to use a backhoe and operator to dig the entire septic tank. The hole was completely cut and removed of soil within one hour! It's worth having equipment on-hand to take care of the big jobs. Throughout the week, the pile of dirt was hand shoveled and dispersed throughout the site as fill for the foundation and concrete slab. The batter boards and nylon strings are placed and we've started excavating the pedestal footings and perimeter slab footing. Every day there is progress being made at the site, which is much needed motivation when construction tasks are strenuous, dirty and hot.

Contextualism: napping cats, strutting cocks, and a boy bouncing a ball among the bamboo homes at Core Shelter.

The pile of dirt left behind from the backhoe and septic tank excavation work. The mound of soil looks overwhelming for a few hand shovels, but the students and volunteers reshaped the dirt around the site within two days.

Finishing up the last humps of dirt from the big pile.

Two Core Shelter volunteers jump into the septic tank hole to clean up the earth edges.

Showing just how crammed we are for space at the site, Efren pushes out on the chain link fence to make room for Francisco's swing while hammering the batter boards in place for staking.

Rhea is nose deep into the drawings as Francisco, Core volunteer, points out a footing detail.

Estudio Damgo team: Daryl Suasin, Cheyenne Lopez, Leigh Lagrimas, Rhea Dicen, Anna Koosmann pictured with our first local donor Chao Bacong, and Efren Torres.