Vision
To bring Saya (happiness) through design
Mission
By tapping into the potential of community social enterprise, we aim to foster stronger bonds and engagement in the community
About
Driven by the vision to foster stronger bonds and aid community engagement through design, Project Masaya was hatched in the recesses of the Department of Architecture in the National University of Singapore in 2017. Anchoring our approach in participatory design, we aim to propose as with the first one being a playground in the Philippines from 28 May to 10 June 2018.
The village is a product of collaboration between NGO Gawad Kalinga (GK) and Capitaland Ascott. At the heart of GK's community transformation is restoring dignity, and giving back the poor's capacity to dream and work towards the fulfillment of their dreams.
Site Context
Location: Brgy. San Pedro, Batangas City, Philippines
Demographics: 40 families with an estimation of 80 children from the age
of 0-16 years old
Project Scope
1. Construction of playground
2. Refurbishing the existing sundry shop to accommodate
baking for sale
A participatory design workshop was held in the June 2018 by the Project Masaya 2018 team.
The priorities identified through the workshop are:
- Bakery as social enterprise
Construction of Playground
Two possible sites were identified during the Recce Trip in September 2019:
- Entrance of GK
- Existing sundry shop to house the kitchen
Aiding in the setting up of a successful social enterprise model was hence requested by the community, and is proposed as one of the main focuses for Project Masaya 2019.
The entrance was identified as a good location for the bakery as the villagers wanted to target the commutingvillagers from neighbouring barangays (villages)as potential customers. They currently travel 20 minutes to the city centre to procure their daily bread intake. The high traffic location will accommodate for the sales of the pastries, contributing to the success of this social enterprise model. The relocation of the sales of goods from the aforementioned sundry shop would also allow for a wider customer base for the current Tita running
Artist’s Impression, Iteration 2
The design was generated from the base of a traditional box and mono-pitch roof configuration. To innovate beyond that, slanted columns that extend out from the base to the corners of the roof were included to make the store seem larger and thus more prominent.
Formwork, Iteration 1
Since the monopitch roof does not provide shade from the evening sun, screens were added to the facade ofthe store. These are likely to be made from perspex of polypropylene sheets attached to a retractable frame similar to that of a curtain. This is to ensure a low cost of construction that would be eye catching to attract customers.
Remodelling of Kitchen
Apart from alleviating poverty for the families, the project seeks to address a broader theme of women’s empowerment within the village. Managed by mainly by the Titas (middle-aged women), the enterprise aims to produce 600 pastries each day for sale and an additional 200 for the beneficiaries within the village. The strategic location of the sundry shop adjacent to the playground allows for the Titas to work while taking care of their children
Artist’s Impression, Iteration 1
The spatial layout of the kitchen takes into consideration two modes of collection – by beneficiaries within the village and for sales outside the village. The left window is reserved for collection while the front for sales. The separation of the two modes creates a clearer distribution system, each undisrupted by the other. The front facing window doubles up as an interaction point, where Titas who are working can look after their children as they play outside at playground adjacent to it.
Moodboard, Iteration 1
Portable chairs, transformed from existing furniture, will be incorporated at the window to facilitate interaction. Smaller innovations to make storage easier will also be incorporated
Service - Learning Objectives
Service
- Participatory design workshop on livelihood
- Construction of children playground in front of village nursery
- Participatory exploration on bamboo furniture
- Arts and crafts workshop with children Learning
- Construction techniques
- Social Architecture - To Inculcate the notion of responsible and accountable design for people
Sustainability of Project
1. Sense of ownership
- Community as important stakeholder
- Participatory design
2. Potentials of social enterprise
3. Masterplan proposal
- Report of participatory design workshop in 2018 and the enterprise in 2019 will be consolidatedand passed to Gawad Kalinga and CapitaLand as a guide for future development and improvement of the village.
4. Long-term collaboration of 4-6 years
5. Current 2-year model to be implemented in new villages
- First year: immediate contruction need
- Second year: Setting up of a social enterprise