The Destination Pit Stop: The Visitor Center
design competition by AVID competition, one of the largest design competition
in the Philippines. I decided to join the competition to exhibit my design
skills, so for months I researched about the concept that will fit the theme, Destination
Pit Stop: Visitor Center.
In the competition brief, there are 5 UNESCO
World Heritage sites that one can choose from where to put the Destination Pit Stop: Visitor
Center. There’s the Tubbataha reef natural park, Rice Terraces of the
Philippine Cordilleras, Historic town of Vigan, Puerto Princessa Subterranean
river, and the Baroque churches of the Philippines.
I chose the Historic town of Vigan because I am
into Spanish era here in the Philippines. I love the Philippine’s history
because it molded us to who we are now. By putting the visitor center here in
the historical town of Vigan, I have to be careful that my design will blend in
the existing structures in Vigan. It’s a challenge for me because I wanted to
introduce a fresh design concept but still preserve the historical appeal of
the place. I also have to be careful because the structure is beside the UNESCO
World heritage site in which there are a number of restrictions.
Karayan: Bridging the Tradition and the Contemporary
Karayan, the Ilocano term for river, shall
be the name of the structure that signifies the importance of the role of the
rivers – Abra and Mestizo – located in Vigan City, Ilocus Sur.
It is a strong, sustainable edifice that
shall exhibit Vigan’s rich heritage and contribution to the Philippine culture
and society during the Spanish era. It shall be located where the Plaza Maestro
now stands and shall face the Heritage Village to amplify its importance to our
rich tradition and how the preservation of the houses in the area reflect our
respect to our ancestry and birthright.
Karayan is a through and through structure
to show how the concept of the river is integrated in it. The Abra and Mestizo
rivers, the primary inspiration of the concept of the structure, contributed to
Vigan’s economy and culture since these rivers connected the province to the
mainland, thus providing opportunities for trade and enriching the culture.
Abel, the traditional woven product of
Vigan, is the secondary inspiration of the structure. Known for its strength
and rich color, this family heirloom is a perfect input on the design that
depicts reverence for our centuries-old customs yet incorporates modernism
showing that looking back to our roots does not necessarily mean complacency
and resistance to change. This structure shall show that the combination of
traditional and contemporary beliefs can bring about change, progress and
success.
Its rectangular form, according to
psychology, suggests trustworthiness, honesty and stability, which
the structure exemplifies. This same
shape may seem common, boring and a non-attention-getter, but the tilting of
the corners gives a solution to this and also points to the most important
place in the city being showcased – the Heritage Village.
PROCESS DIAGRAM
1. Box – Started with a rectangular shape box, it
symbolizes trust, worthiness, honesty and stability.
2. Push – Created open spaces, path and walkways to
encourage walking in order to provide a healthy lifestyle.
3. Pull – Pulled the two corners pointing to the
heritage village and plazas, showing respect to the destination spots in Vigan.
4. Abel – Blanketed the structure for protection and
to make the structure habitable.
5. Two- Dimension – Made the Abel pattern two-dimensional to
make it buildable and much more affordable without sacrificing the quality of
the design. The woven pattern makes the structure well ventilated.
PRESENTATION PANELS
