Elevating Lives for People in the Coastlines
Published October 28, 2024
The Philippines has a long-standing history when it comes to calamities and weather disturbances, but there are only a few structures designed specifically to withstand these harsh conditions. For BS Architecture students Jonas Adrian Itao and Russ Mary Tolo, the development of innovative infrastructure in Ginatilan can bolster its economy and enhance its resilience to natural disasters.
Overcoming Coastal Challenges
Ginatilan is a 5th class income municipality that’s largely a coastal town. Jonas, being a resident of Ginatilan himself, saw the opportunity to develop the existing Ginatilan Public Market, given its present site condition. “When we discovered that our site is prone to storm surges, we used that as our main inspiration or challenge in our design development,” he said.
They elevated the public market from the natural ground line using berms. “Site grading or Berm is the shaping of the terrain to create a transition zone and access zone that connects the users from the ground line level up to the elevated finish floor line of the public market and livelihood center,” Jonas shared.
Russ also paid attention to the resources used within the public market, as well as their efficiency. “Since the market is prone to wastage of water, like mga hugaw baana (dirty water), we created a wastewater treatment which is essential in a public market,” she elaborated.
To attain their goal of fostering economic growth and tourism in Ginatilan, Russ and Jonas integrated a livelihood center in the public market to empower local businesses and address the need of conducive working environments. They also integrated a mini amphitheater and promenade to encourage foot traffic and cultural activities in the area.
Building Trust and Genuine Connections
Despite having their work laid out for themselves, Jonas and Russ also had their own design styles that they had to reconcile. “Despite our differences in ideas and design concepts, we consistently prioritized finding common ground and choosing to communicate with each other and to consider the design solutions for the flow of our thesis,” Russ explained.
“Regarding our dynamic as thesis partners, the one thing I learned is to really trust your partner, that she can do her job and trusting myself that I can also do my job properly. I won’t fail my partner in our thesis,” Jonas said, emphasizing the importance of picking the right thesis partner.
Upon presenting their thesis to their panelists, they were commended for the innovative and creative translation of their design solution. This led them to win the Best Thesis award in the School of Architecture, Fine Arts, and Design of University of San Carlos.
“Winning the best thesis was slightly telling me that I am capable, that we are capable of creating something that is more than we expected for ourselves,” Jonas shared.
For Russ, this award helped her overcome her self-doubt and add up to her achievements. “It’s natural to experience moments of doubt and frustration, but always remember your goals and be persistent and resilient,” she said.
Moving forward, these two individuals continue to elevate the design standards for people in their own respective communities. Jonas and Russ are currently apprentices in different design and build firms, taking on projects that can prove to be beneficial for their own localities.
UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS
School of Architecture Fine Arts and Design
Talamban, Cebu
UNIVERSITY OF SAN CARLOS
School of Architecture Fine Arts and Design
Talamban, Cebu
ITAO, JONAS ADRIAN C.
BS Architecture
A Bachelor of Science in Architecture graduate from the University of San Carlos. Achieved first place in the thesis batch of 2024.
TOLO, RUSS MARY T.
BS Architecture
A graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of San Carlos. Achieved gold medal at the 24th Safad Design Week in 2023 and first place in the thesis batch of 2024.
AR. NHEIL T. CRISOSTOMO
Thesis Adviser
A Green Building Professional and an Architect with over 13 years of experience as part-time assistant instructor at the University of San Carlos. He is also a Registered Master Plumber and currently a managing partner of Bottega 8290 Architectural Studio.
AR. MARC CHRISTIAN Y. RUZ
Thesis Adviser
A licensed architect, graduated from the University of San Carlos in 2011 and has been a faculty instructor for 10 years. He is a Certified BERDE Professional, the current Vice President of the UAP Sugbu Chapter for 2024-2025, and the Principal Architect of Ruz Architects and Associates.
AR. ADRIAN I. YAP
Thesis Adviser
Ar. Adrian Yap, MSc, UAP is the Current Chair of the Department of Architecture at University of San Carlos. He took his Master of Science in Architecture from University of Pécs in Hungary. He is an architect and has been in the academe for almost a decade.
