In the News - "The Other Expats"

Featured in Dumaguete's Metropost entitled, "The other Expats" by John Stevenson, a perspective on ex-patriot living in the Philippines. 

Read my blog here A+ w o r k s: In the News - "The Other Expats"

Read the Metropost report here Metropost: "The Other Expats"

Meeting of the Minds

Posted on September 16, 2014 from Dumaguete News reports that the community residents at Core Shelter gathered to discuss some of the latest and "hottest" topics on violence against woman and children.  The Department of Social Welfare Development organized the discussions at the Multipurpose Hall.  It's great to see how the Estudio Damgo building is serving its purpose as a platform to access and exchange information.  Change can happen when dreams are realized and the right structure is put in place to facilitate a meeting of the minds.

R E A D the F E A T U R E

One Last Visit to the Multipurpose Hall

It's been over a month since the ribbon cutting ceremony and graduation.  The final photos are taken during my last visit to check over remaining punch-list items and follow up with Core Shelter residents before returning to the States.  It is humbling to approach the neighborhood and find residents gathered around the front steps playing and cooling off in the shade.  I've heard comments from neighbors how proud they are of the new building, and it is evident in only one month, there have been home improvements made within the community.  This is a positive sign that Core Shelter will take care of the building which will hopefully lend to positive social improvements in the area.  The building will be officially used by the community at the end of May 2014, for two, full-day training seminars with the social worker.  - Photos Courtesy of Hersley-Ven Casero

Read the latest news from Dumaguete's local paper Metropost, A Tale of 2 Buildings.

 

Children gather on the front stoop to play games as night falls upon Core Shelter community.

The lights accentuate the bamboo structure and roof form serving as a neighborhood landmark.

Over 300 intricate joinery connections shape the roof form.

The house across from the multipurpose has put up a bamboo fence, cleaning up the exterior appearance and defines the property edge.  Also, a newly constructed covered entry is a "front porch" that will give "eyes to the street" and a secure watch over the multipurpose hall.  These are positive signs that the community will take pride in the building and hopefully lend to positive social improvements within the area.

There are four folding bamboo and steel doors that fully open for an approachable and inclusive use of interior spaces.

The roof overhangs shade the building and the site during the day.  The roof shape and open plan is designed to catch breezes by drawing the air up and through, reducing the inside temperature significantly from the outside.

EDII - "Panaghiusa" Multipurpse Ribbon Cutting Mar. 25, 2014

Estudio Damgo Panaghiusa Multipurpose Hall located at Core Shelter, Bajumpandan, Dumaguete City, Philippines.  This is the second student-led design-build project for the Department of Architecture at Foundation University.                                - Photo by Hersley-Ven Casero

 

It’s been only 10 months since Estudio Damgo sat with the community for the first time to develop the plans for a dream to gather, access medical services, training programs, and hold meetings.  Today, over 100 households have a place for a variety of needs where they will be sheltered from the hot sun and rain, and able to stay cool and breezy because of the design and materials.

 

As we know, a project of this scale is accomplished by the work of many heads, hands, and hearts.  

Estudio Damgo is thankful to the countless supporters, donors, consultants and volunteers that made it possible to realize this dream.  The most notable material donations were 160 Kawayan Tanik bamboo poles by Herbie Theodoro of Bambusa Callabo. We were able to utilize the interlocking clay bricks donated by Counselor DanDan Teves.  Core Shelter donated 27 ceramic tiles, symbolizing 27 weeks of construction.   

Estudio Damgo thanks Foundation University’s Staff who manage the behind the scenes production.  To Foundation University worker’s skills and labor to put all these materials together and build this dream.  To the Dauin Farm for all your training and assistance in bamboo.  To our foreign donors and Global Giving which has funded a large chunk of the material costs.  To 34 participating artists and 7-venues from the ARTWalk:Art for a Cause fundraiser last November, for sharing your art and spaces for this cause and to the patrons for supporting the local arts for a community.  To 7-bands, 4 dance troupes, and sound by putting forth your talents at the Benefit Concert.  And to those who helped organize the Benefit Concert last December.  To all the Deans of the departments for putting forth department funds towards construction costs. To the Creative Department for the promotional video and countless pictures during the entire project.  To the departments of Architecture, Agriculture, Industrial Engineering, Political Science Society and Entheos for your consultation, support, during the design phase and volunteering during construction.

To loved ones, friends, and family who found ways to encourage us throughout the year and follow our progress on facebook and the blog. To all our partners: this building is truly built for the community by the community and led by three Estudio Damgo student leaders: Rhea Mae Dicen, Leigh Margareth Lagrimas, and Daryl Suasin.

An applause for all the long hours and hard work from countless individuals involved at every level and dedication to seeing the project through its completion and to Realizing a Collective Dream.

“The power of design is to make things concrete – to make the abstract tangible”.  
- Bjarke Ingels of BIG

Nicky Dumapit and Zydor Dumapit Casero introduce DIY native instruments and sounds at the opening of the ceremonies. - Photos by Hersley-Ven Casero

We were asked to perform with Nicky: Daryl Suasin shakes the "thunder-maker", Anna Koosmann uses the "rain-maker", Nicky and Zydor keep time with drums, and Benzi Florendo rattles the goat horns.  Everyone was entertained by the new sounds and positive energy that Nicky brought to the stage.

Anna delivers opening remarks of gratitude for all the support for this project.

Mayor "Chiquiting", impressed by the design and structure of the building, he stated "there should be more buildings like these in Dumaguete City."

Student Leaders, Rhea and Leigh, hand out certificates of appreciation.  Anna is pictured with Core Shelter resident, Franco, volunteer with honorable mention.

Core Shelter's dance troupe, Beatz Mazda, performs for the guests.  The Multipurpose is officially being used by the community!

The President of Core Shelter, Johna David, gives her speech.

Officiated the turning over and blessing of the building by cutting the ribbon with community partners: Dr. Eva Melon, Johna David, the Mayor, Rhea Dicen, Dean Sinco, Orlando Enguiq, Karen Villanueva, Ma'am Corola, and Anna Koosmann.

Father Julius blessing the building.

President Dr. Mira Sinco and Father Julius.

Guests pile into the main space which was noticeably cooler than outside under the tarp. 

Light fixture detail. - Photo by Benzi Florendo

Sir Dean awards students with a Gold Medal of Achievement.

Proud student leaders and their mentors.

Student leader, Rhea Dicen, talks about her Estudio Damgo experience.

Community children lining up for food.

The spread of food. Student leader, Daryl Suasin's family, donated a goat to the Core Shelter community to cook.  It was my first time to eat goat meat. 

The crew of FU workers, instructors, and student leaders who worked full-time on the Multipurpose Building.

EDII - Week 27: Wrapping It Up

Wrapping it all up.  Week 27 marks the final week before graduation.  Finishes are major priority: bamboo structure is getting the final clear coat, black enamel paint finish at metal frames, and finish paint at the concrete walls.  Electrical is being installed.  Plumbing fixtures are finally in and CR tiles are grouted.  It's getting there.  Students are happy to see the light at the end of this tunnel.

 Afternoon, western light casts down on the site.  The roof is finally done. 

 

Folding doors are almost fully installed.

 Our roof makes quite a statement, projecting out past the building walls to meet the adjacent neighbors.  Many of the passers-by stop to admire the building. 

Finishing the metal frames at the folding bamboo doors with black enamel.  The black trims out the building nicely against the warmer tones of natural materials.

 

All the materials are getting their final coat of finish.  Here a worker is putting a clear finish on the bamboo structure.

 

Rhea demonstrates the sliding door.

  

Rhea approves the final touches at the flooring.  Core Shelter residents donated 27 ceramic tiles to the project.  Each tile symbolizes 27 weeks of construction.  Two of the selected tiles will be located at the main space.

The other donated tiles have been randomly grouted to the interior of the CR. The arrangement makes for a playful interior.  

  

Daryl and Leigh saw cut a bamboo pendant light fixture.

 

Three of the pendant light fixtures, rough cut and unfinished.

EDII - Week 26

This is the final push for the fifth year architecture students to complete the multipurpose hall in time for graduation, just two weeks away.  The students are feeling the pressure and are working overtime 7-days a week and into the late hours.  Over the past month, most of the work has been finishing the bamboo structure, which is finally 100% installed.  Now, the galvanized iron (GI) roof is being fastened to the structure with an "amakon" underlay that will insulate the interior from the heat given off by the roof.  Other major work is fabricating the folding bamboo doors at the North Shop.  We finally have doors ready for install at the site.  Ongoing work includes laying the clay tile floor, tying ratan or "uway" around the bamboo joints, and bending metal roof gutters and installing fascia board.  The unfinished work list is extensive, but we're expecting to have the major construction work complete for the ribbon cutting ceremony planned for March 25, 2014.  No doubt there will be work to finish after the ribbon cutting, but the community will soon be able to use the building.  Better to be slightly behind schedule, than hasting to make waste.

There are a lot of people on site today.

 

Foundation University's Dean of Agriculture and his student take down the bunkhouse.

 

Ratan, or "uway", is used to finish the bamboo joints.

 

Three workers install the fascia board.

 

Making sure that the angles are cut correctly and align with the roof pitch.

 

A worker takes a brief break, leaning against the bamboo purlins, while waiting to install the next fascia board.

 

At the North Shop, first year architecture students help out with the folding doors sanding the wood trim.

  

Students clean the bamboo strips by cutting off the rough nodes.  The strips are woven as a screen for the doors.

 

Student leaders, Rhea and Daryl prepare the folding door for installation at the site.