Peter Jr Himmiwat
Michael Dave Bognadon
Philippines
Vernacular Architecture in the country has always been characterized by employing readily available materials and hasty construction. As a result, most part of the urban area is filled with low rise, low density and monofunctional structures. With space constraints and land values rising, informal settlements along with human activity have found its way on forest reserves and watersheds threatening the resources of the city. Attempting to rethink new expressions of vernacular, we propose X-Space in which discontinued construction sites are given a new lease of life. This will serve an opportunity to densify the urban area converting a leftover structure into a tight yet varied community. Veering away from the single storey structure, these multi-level “land” spaces are filled with different activities which takes cues from the immediate context and culture of the neighborhood. The letter “x” connotes for the unknown and perfectly describes the spatial use of the project. Starting with the columns & slabs, the structure is left open to be consumed by the peoples’ needs as reflected in his daily life. A culture of peddling is still alive which might call for a space of commerce. The proliferation of makeshift houses in forest reserves might call for a residential space and opportunities in the urban area. Human activities like (inorganic) farming on protected lands might ask for a public space for growing organic produce. The main idea is that these raw structures, unknown as it may seem, can be interpreted in so many ways as long as it is built for the people and sustained by the people.