Best Architectural Thesis Awardee - A Proposed Community Center located in Silang Cavite

Thesis Title: Akbay: A Proposed Community Center located in Silang Cavite

Thesis Proponent: Abonite, Tuffie B.

Design Adviser: Ar. John Lemuel Llacuna

School: National University- Manila

Year of Defense: 2023 

The Silang Community Center is conceived as a response to the growing need for meaningful communal spaces in the urban areas of Silang, Cavite. Community facilities are essential to strengthening social ties, improving public health, and fostering a sense of belonging. They provide opportunities for interaction, learning, recreation, and civic participation, all of which contribute to a community’s overall resilience and quality of life. However, the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the fragility of existing community structures, as prolonged isolation and the closure of public spaces weakened social interaction and community engagement. In many areas, the absence of accessible public spaces led to a significant decline in communal activities, weakening the social fabric that supports shared identity and collective wellbeing.

As Silang transitions into a post-pandemic reality, the community requires a central place that restores social connections and supports collective wellbeing. The role of communal spaces has become more vital than ever, as people seek places where they can safely gather, participate in community events, and rebuild social ties. This need is particularly important in urbanizing areas, where population growth and rapid development often outpace the provision of public infrastructure. In the context of Silang, this challenge is compounded by the fragmented nature of existing community facilities and the lack of a cohesive spatial strategy.

In the Philippine context, the Local Government Code of 1991 mandates barangays to provide basic community services and facilities. This legal framework recognizes the importance of local-level infrastructure in promoting public welfare and social cohesion. However, the reality in Silang reflects a mismatch between policy and implementation. Existing communal spaces are often scattered, underutilized, or poorly maintained due to fragmented planning and lack of coherent spatial strategy. Facilities are frequently built only where land is available, rather than where they can effectively serve the community. As a result, these facilities fail to become active and engaging centers of community life. Instead of serving as hubs for social interaction, they become isolated pockets of activity, disconnected from the daily life of residents.

The lack of cohesive planning leads to the fragmentation of public space and undermines the potential of communal facilities to foster community development. The Silang Community Center aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive, integrated civic facility that strengthens community relations and improves the overall quality of life. Rather than treating community facilities as individual, stand-alone elements, the project proposes a unified spatial framework that integrates various functions and activities within a single complex. This approach seeks to create a central civic hub that encourages interaction, promotes shared experiences, and supports collective growth.

Design Goal

The primary goal of this project is to design a community center that enhances communal spaces in Silang, Cavite and strengthens social interaction among residents. The facility is envisioned as a public space where people of all ages and backgrounds can gather, connect, and participate in shared activities. By providing inclusive and accessible spaces, the community center aims to restore a sense of belonging and improve the overall wellbeing of residents. The design also aims to promote a sense of ownership among the community, encouraging residents to take responsibility for maintaining and utilizing the facility as an active part of their daily lives.

Design Objectives

To achieve this goal, the design focuses on the following objectives:

Create an inclusive community center that gathers residents of all ages and genders to encourage social interaction and community participation. This includes creating spaces that are welcoming to families, youth, seniors, and individuals from different backgrounds and socio-economic conditions.

Ensure safety and security through well-planned circulation, lighting, visibility, and site design that promotes comfort and confidence among users. The design will prioritize safe movement patterns and provide secure environments where people feel comfortable using the facility at any time of day.

Provide learning and coworking spaces to inspire productivity, creativity, and continuous personal development. These spaces will support educational programs, workshops, and community-led initiatives, helping residents build skills and improve opportunities for personal growth.

Offer facilities that address community needs, such as recreational areas, multipurpose halls, education spaces, and public services. The design will integrate a variety of functions to support social, cultural, and civic activities that enhance community life.

Maximize spatial efficiency by correlating and connecting each communal space to ensure optimal usage and avoid underutilization. The design will prioritize connectivity between spaces, creating a fluid environment that encourages movement and interaction.

Design Strategies

To achieve these objectives, the project applies several design strategies:

Interactivity: The design encourages social engagement by creating spatial relationships and visual connectivity between different functions. Each area is intentionally connected to stimulate movement, interaction, and communal exchange. The spaces will be organized in a way that encourages users to move through the facility, discovering different activities and interacting with other users.

Diversity: The facility caters to varying needs by providing a variety of functions and spaces. This ensures that the community center supports diverse activities such as sports, education, cultural events, and social gatherings. A diverse program will allow the center to serve multiple community groups and accommodate various interests.

Flexibility: The design supports multiple uses and can adapt to changing needs over time. Spaces are designed to be flexible, allowing the community center to host different events and activities without compromising functionality. This flexibility will ensure that the facility remains relevant and responsive to evolving community demands.

Structural Adaptability: Considering population growth, the design anticipates future expansion. Structural systems are planned to accommodate extensions, ensuring long-term viability without costly redevelopment. This strategy ensures that the community center can evolve with the town’s growth.

Inclusivity: The design promotes a welcoming atmosphere by considering diverse users, including seniors, youth, families, and persons with disabilities. The community center is designed to be a place where everyone feels accepted and valued. Inclusive design will be applied to all aspects of the facility, from circulation to seating and programming.

Accessibility: Universal design principles are integrated to ensure that all areas are easily accessible, promoting full participation for all users. Accessibility will be carefully planned to support individuals with mobility challenges and ensure that the facility is usable for all.

Sustainability: The design incorporates eco-friendly technologies and green systems to reduce energy consumption, minimize environmental impact, and support long-term economic sustainability. Sustainable strategies may include passive design techniques, green roofs, rainwater harvesting, and natural ventilation to promote environmental efficiency and create a healthier indoor environment.

Design Concept: Mutualism

The concept that guides the entire design is Mutualism. In architectural terms, mutualism is an approach that views the built environment as a holistic system where individual spaces function interdependently to create a unified organism. This concept emphasizes that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Rather than designing separate facilities that stand alone, the Silang Community Center integrates various community functions into a cohesive and interconnected system.

Mutualistic architecture seeks harmony between built form and natural environment. It focuses on the relationship between spaces, activities, and users, ensuring that each part contributes to the overall wellbeing of the community. This approach encourages collaboration and shared benefits, where each space enhances the performance and value of others. For example, learning spaces are connected to recreational areas, and multipurpose halls are linked to outdoor green spaces, creating a dynamic and interactive environment. This integration not only maximizes spatial efficiency but also creates opportunities for spontaneous social interaction and community engagement.

Design Outcome

The Silang Community Center is designed to be a civic anchor that revitalizes the community and promotes social resilience. It is not merely a building but a public platform that supports community development through social interaction, learning, recreation, and civic participation. By providing integrated communal spaces, the project aims to restore the public life that was weakened during the pandemic and to create a more inclusive, safe, and vibrant community.

Ultimately, the Silang Community Center aims to become a symbol of unity and progress—a place where people can gather, learn, and grow together. It is designed to be a sustainable, flexible, and socially responsive facility that strengthens community relations and contributes to the long-term development of Silang, Cavite.

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