Outside Looking In

Outside looking in., originally uploaded by suvajack.

Is how we felt when we got an opportunity to experience the homes of 4 families to examine their self built homes. This stage in our designing project let us get in touch with the target group for our housing project. The spaces these people live in are much different from what I am used to in Canada. There is no heating which can make it very cold in the winter given La Trinidad and Baguio are 4500ft above sea level. The addition of galvanized steel wall that are not insulated at all only amplify the outside temperature, cold or hot. Space is at a premium with most of these families opting for the largest lots they can afford to plan for the future. These lots are still smal by most standards because of the hillside location. Regardless the families must pinch every centavos to build some kind of shelter. If you think this house is small for one person you can only try to imagine what the 5 inhabitants feel like.

All of the four houses we visited had many things in common. Metal roofs, walls and a detached bathroom or comfort room as its referred to in the Philippines. The owners of this house have plans for the future construction. On day when they can save enough money they hope to take advantage of the concrete posts they installed to build a new hollow block home. Thought this structure may look temporary they are built in an affordable permanent way very common to the area. This house is actually better than most with these posts witch not act as a support and foundation to support and keep the house intact in severe wind weather. This home was also the only one to have a inset sink inside, the three others live as most do washing what they need outside in a large basin including themselves. No heat or hot water here.

Apparently the people in this area are no stranger to crime and attack even going as far as saying that they hope one day they can afford a concrete house because criminals often easily cut through the g.i. sheeting.

Mother Nature's Still Upset - Baguio - Earthquake

Just now, while we were in the middle of our pre-lunch workout, Baguio and the surrounding area just got hit with an earthquake. It was minor enough to not cause any damage here that we know about, but strong enough to make this 4 story concrete building wobble like it was made out of rubber. We were stretching, sitting on the floor at the time so we could really feel it. No idea where the epicenter was but something tells me Typhoon Mina woke something up. OK, back to stretching I guess!?

Recent Baguio Earthquake History

Away With Mina

Mina - Calm before the storm., originally uploaded by suvajack.

It looks like Mina has made its way off of Luzon island, and further away from Baguio than was originally expected. It's unknown right now if it has weakened but we should know the complete story by later today. For now, its calmed down to a rainy, gray day.

Facts from Planet Ark:

Typhoon Mina swirlled out to sea on Monday after killing 8 people, destroying homes and flooding rice paddies in the Philippines. Mina, a category 1 typhoon with winds of 120 km per hour (74 mph) at its centre, lost strength as it made landfall late on Sunday and did not directly hit the central Bicol region, where nearly 300,000 people had been evacuated.

Disaster officials said Mina flooded wide areas in the northern and central Philippines, destroying more than 100 million pesos (US$2.3 million) worth of agricultural production, half of them ricefields in Isabela and Cagayan provinces.

Bamboo Lovers Dinner

Abra - People, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

We concluded our eventful and educational last day in Abra with a beautiful dinner at Mely's house. All of us were tired from the day but in great spirits. It felt amazing to be in the company of some of the greatest individuals I've ever met in my life: David, Mely, and our new bamboo friend, Dr. Raul, from India who is the president of INBAR and currently working out of Shanghai, China. They all have achieved so much, and at the same time have made a difference in their respective communities/countries. It was one inspiring day and I felt so fortunate.

Abra Weaves

Abra - Process, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Despite the low with the workshop, our luck did not fail us. And our trip across the river was not completely wasted as we came across a gem of a spot when Mely took us deeper into the barrio. Only a 10 minute walk from where the workshop was being held, we met a community of weavers using bamboo as there raw material. They were using a native bamboo that had the perfect qualities for creating woven products. We observed beautiful bamboo baskets being woven right in front of our eyes by men and women. We learned that this is where Mely sourced most of her workers, and bamboo, to build her bamboo home. They even showed us their process of making their bamboo flooring - surprisingly basic! This experience showed us exactly how simple it is to work with bamboo. Bamboo allows the common man, women and even child to be involved and easily learn how to create a wide variety of bamboo products as a source of income and a means of livelihood.

But we were not the only observers. The children of the barrio were observing us, too. Again, the children never cease to amaze us with their lively, curious, picture-loving selves.

Design Center Workshop

Abra - Workshops, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

We were disappointed to say the least. We watched as the DCP workshop leader finish the bamboo in somewhat of a creative way, but with toxic paints and other finishes. The fumes alone drove us away from coming any closer. Hmmm...maybe someone should give the Design Center of the Philippines a little workshop on eco-friendly products and practices.

However, there is still light at the end of tunnel. This is where we come in: we saw this as the perfect situation/direction to step into and become pro-active about, and one that could be the most influential. We see that our outside perspective and knowledge of sustainable practices can benefit the market place a great deal. By influencing companies such as Boysen (the largest paint manufacturer, and most used brand in the Philippines) to evaluate their products' ecological and health affects, and invest in the research, production and marketing of an eco-friendly line of products, the road to sustainable growth and development will become much easier. See the blog below for an insightful look into this subject.

Masking Eco-Friendlies

, originally uploaded by suvajack.

Our bamboo tour of the Philippines uncovered massive amounts of exceptional sustainable designs except most had one fatal flaw - caked on toxic coatings. If there was one key message we always tried to suggest it was that you don’t need that much coating on and you should try to use a non-toxic finish. It turns out eco-friendly finishes aren’t easy to come by here and it is unfortunately the one thing that stops these incredible designs from being some of the worlds best eco options. In case you haven’t heard there is a new trend in the world that is here to stay and that is the mainstream arrival of environmentally intelligent products. These products created from regenerative sources are beautiful in design, functional in application, and responsible in environmental impact. The Philippines is privileged to have an abundance of rapidly renewable raw material and skilled workers how know how to work wonders with it. Though this sector is under developed it has the potential to be a booming and regenerative agricultural industry. What is missing to push this industry into the competitive market and towards a completely environmentally friendly final product is the use of non-toxic adhesives and finishes. Toxic glues and finishing coats on products damage the environment, people who worked with them and the end user that lives with it. You may be unaware that much of the products that we furnish our homes and offices with are in fact poisoning our air. Thankfully industries are changing the way they make products. Largely in part to the surge in consumer acceptance of organic goods as well as concepts like cradle to cradle and design for disassembly; The world is experiencing a big wave of eco-conscious consumers that are making the conscious choice to search out product that are not harmful to air quality.

Design Center Workshop

Abra - Transportation, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Going to Abra on a whim, and with no plans whatsoever, turned out in our favor. Our timing was just perfect and the Design Center of the Philippines was in town to hold a workshop on bamboo finishing techniques with a barangay . But first we had to get there. We took this ferry (or what acted like a ferry) across the Abra River just to the other side. Did sketchy come to mind? Yes, but it did its job, taking several tricyles, a jeepney and the SUV we were riding in.

The Home of Mely

Abra - Homes, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Mely has done a beautiful job with her home by using local bamboo and other indigenous made products to give it that ethnic Filipino feel and identity. One of the highlights of her home is the open-air living room which allows the wind to breeze through, to keep the home cool, and the sun to light its interior, to reduce the amount of electricity used.

The Home Of Mely

Abra - Homes, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

So after much anticipation, we finally make it to Abra, which is about 5 hours north of Baguio, to visit our friend and bamboo trip coordinator, Mely Berselona. Mely's home has been on the list of things to see on our trip as much of it is composed out of bamboo. Bamboo floors, ceilings, rails, windows, furniture, doors, and decor. When we arrived in Bangued, the main town in Abra, it seemed like everybody has either heard of, or has seen it as it sticks out like a soar thumb amongst its neighboring homes which are all constructed out of the typical building material: concrete and steel.

6 AM Bus - Baguio to Abra

We get a head start on our trip to Abra for fieldwork in search of bamboo homes. After a minor electrical fire half way down the mountain, sunrise illuminated the gorgeous valleys and made for a spectacular yet bumpy bus ride to Abra.

III International Junior Delphic Games

Baguio - Events, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

The III International Junior Delphic Games is the world artists' equivalent of the Olympic Games and was held this year in Baguio City. It is a competition for the arts and is the spiritual rebirth of the Delphic Games held in ancient Greece. The Games take place every 2 years, alternately as Delphic Games and Junior Delphic Games. Each nation sends its best artists and representatives of arts and culture to compete in the form of exhibitions and demonstrations, that mirror the artistic diversity and cultural wealth and heritage of their respective countries. Some of the major categories include:

MUSIC & ACOUSTIC ARTS – i.e. singing, instruments, choir, orchestra, preservation of intangible heritage,
PERFORMING ARTS – i.e. dance, theatre, circus, photography, film, etc. and preservation of intangible heritage,
LINGUAL ARTS – i.e. poetry, writing, fairytale telling, literary translation, moderation, debating, etc. and preservation of intangible heritage,
CRAFT, DESIGN & VISUAL ARTS – i.e. painting, sculpture, pho-tography, goldsmith, cutting, book binding, instrument making, weaving, and knitting,
COMMUNICATION & SOCIAL ARTS – i.e. media, computer ga-mes, mediation, pedagogic, didactic, mediation, etc. and preservation of intangible heritage,
ARCHITECTURE & ECOLOGICAL ARTS i.e. landscape and city planning, cultivation and re-cultivation, preservation of soil monuments and historical monuments, etc. and support of cultural heritage.

We were fortunate enough to be invited by Narda to become models for her fashion show, which was the evening showcase for the Games' opening day. The experience was a bit nerve-racking as we went through the whole deal with little experience - the fittings, rehearsals, backstage changes, walking the catwalk (with 28 others), the lights and cameras, and not to mention, the hundreds of spectators that filled the convention hall.

The games, for the first time, beginning with the Philippines, will recognize hip-hop music as a world art form. Check out this amazing video of a German hip-hop performance. They were also the judges for the hip-hop dance competition, and for good reason.

III International Junior Delphic Games

Baguio - Events, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Alex and I were invited to become fashion models for an evening, along with 28 other models, for an entertainment showcase at the 2007 Junior Delphic Games held in Baguio City. All of the clothes modeled were from Narda's fashion collection, and were designed to display the beauty and style of natural, eco-fashion in both casual and formal wear.

These photos of us were taken backstage as we waited for an earlier dance group to finish. Above, I'm dressed in Narda's abaca casual hoodie and simple cotton, drawstring shorts. Abaca is a a species of banana, and is harvested for its fiber (also known as Manila hemp) extracted from its large, oblong leaves and stems. On average, the plant grows to about 20 feet (6 meters) tall. Below, Alex is dressed in Narda's ikat casual top, a handkerchief from Mindanao and simple, drawstring cotton pants. Ikat is a style of weaving that uses a resist-dyeing process similar to tie-dye on either the warp or weft before the threads are woven to create a pattern or design.

Moment At Dusk - Simple Surprises

Baguio - Views, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

We stumbled across this particular mountain view as we explored the grounds of Baguio City's Convention Hall, one of the venues for the 2007 International Junior Delphic Games.

Almost anywhere you travel to in and around Baguio, nicknamed the "city of pines", it is common to come across breathtaking vistas that cause you to want to stop and appreciate what the present moment has to offer. It is those simple, instant surprise glances from nature that has caused me to re-assess where I am exactly in the world, and on what island (out of 7,000 or so) that I'm living on. As introspective as it sounds (and maybe even cliche), scenic views like these are special to the Philippines since the majority of the population live in the lowlands, and seeing that the highest concentration of mountains are on one island, ours; Luzon Island. It's truly a shame for anyone to come to Baguio and have their first impressions overshadowed by the pollution, trash and the unpleasing aesthetics of the concrete homes that have crept up what was once a city well-integrated with nature. The difference between the natural environment and the artificial is strikingly stark. The competing, unharmonious character of the two is one of the issues that Alex and I are basing our work on and striving to alleviate. Speaking to David, he reflected on his first experience coming and moving to Baguio some 20 odd years ago when it was still a small town in the mountains. Back then, he said, "I was able to go on my morning jogs around Burnham Park, with the morning mist and the fresh smell of pine in the air. If you were to do that now, you'd suffocate from all the pollution from jeepneys and taxis". Imagine if one day we were able to recreate this memory and feeling in Baguio, and any other decaying city in the world for that matter. This is our challenge, this is why we are here as students and designers, and this is why we feel that progressing in that direction is the most crucial effort one can make. This must happen now, or else vistas like this may never be seen again.

Acop Planning

Baguio - People, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Along with designing a bamboo home for the housing component of the Winaca eco-cultural village, there are plentiful design opportunities to be found on the Capuyan's Acop farm (the village building site). There are already a few structures built in vicinity to the three relocated traditional Cordilleran homes. The Capuyan's vision is to create an extensive restaurant complex which will serve as part of a conference facility, and to also serve as a venue for large social events and weddings. We discussed with Wilson some finishing ideas we have for the space adjacent to the already finished restaurant, as well as his concerns to where the comfort room will be strategically located. The challenge is to place it between the hall area, where the main seating area will be, and the entrance to the restaurant so that it will be hidden away and indiscreet to both. When finished, the space will be an open-air extension of the restaurant that will be roofed with 'creeping lady shoe' vines that bloom and dangle from above.

Extracurricular Activities

Baguio - Spaces, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

In our spare time, and when we are looking for a change in environment and mind-space, we occasionally drop down to one of the Narda's factory's three floors (just below our apartment) to work on a wallet that we have been designing. From choosing the colors, threads, dimensions, and the way that they are sewn, we truly get to be involved with the entire process. Unfortunately, working with Narda's is not part of our workplan, but when we live right next door, it's hard not to peek in on the workers to see what they're up to. It would be such a great internship on its own. Many possibilities are to be had here, especially since all their textiles are hand-dyed and loomed using many unique, indigenous fibers.

Here, Alex works on sewing a few wallet prototypes in Narda's factory sewing-floor. The industrial sewing machines are wild stallions and take a bit of practice to get used to them. When in need, we have quite a bit of assistance from the kind ladies of the factory. There is always someone around to help. Overall, it's fun for both us and them, and I'm sure they find us amusing being on their turf and all...in a good way.

Cafe By The Ruins

Baguio - Interiors, originally uploaded by jsigharas.

Located in front of Baguio's City Hall, this rustic cafe offers some of the best food (and healthy) in the city. Their lemon-grass tea, served with a slice of lemon and honey, has become an ordering tradition that we always look forward to on any given day.