Ms. Eve Orbeta – Principal, St. Francis School – OLAS, Novaliches, QC

The new building at OLAS-C is meant for the Basic Education Department component of the Seminary, College of Novaliches, Quezon City.

Before the turn-over of the building on 21 June 2018, a presentation of the features was shared by Arch. Pablo Suarez. It was a good and comprehensive presentation for the faculty and staff not only to appreciate the structures but explaining why the Basic Education Department was constructed the way it is.

To wit:

  1. Universal design
    Urban areas are conventionally designed for able adults. However, since this is a school building, there was a need to adopt
    the design considering the very young, aged, and all less-abled persons (with disability).
    The Universal design included:

    • Suitably designed toilets (with special fixtures for children and grab rails for PWD)
    • Ramps and landings-with studded tiles to caution the visually impaired person.
  2. Sustainable design
    Awareness of the environmental conditions of the site

    • Environmental conditions considered the temperature, prevailing winds, rainfall and flooding.
    • The building design allowed opportunities for natural ventilation during cooler months and providing adequate daylight.
    • Installation of electric fans for cooler months instead of using the air conditioners; fans may also be used to increase circulation and cooling process.
  3. Rain water harvesting to minimize need for utility provided water for irrigation.
  4. Features that are needed for all Basic Education Department
    • Natural cross-ventilation during cool months
    • Redirecting peripheral winds into classroom doors/windows
    • Wire mesh as balustrades to hang plants/decorate a surface for student projects.
    • Enough and sufficient surface was provided for TLE projects like school gardening.
  5. A provision for expansion is well-planned taking into considerations the Franciscan tradition of ecology, taking care of creation.

Thank you for the opportunity to do this. I appreciate much more the way your designed the building you didn’t only make a functional and practical building but an aesthetic structure.

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