Full Design Statement

LIKHA: An Eco-Friendly Elementary School

LATAG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL is situated between the Barrio of Latag and Antipolo,
City of Lipa, Province of Batangas. The school was established in 1950s, offering primary
education for their community. It has a total lot area of six thousand three hundred twenty-seven
(6,327) square meters. The left and rear parts of the lot are surrounded by mango and mahogany
trees, while the front and right parts are bounded by concrete walls measured up to 2 meters in
height. Both front and left parts of the lot have baranggay access roads measuring eight (8)
meters each. Approximately one thousand two hundred (1200) square meters was used in
setback, approximately two thousand (2000) square meters was used in dispersal area, and the
remaining areas were used for the academic facilities, common facilities, and the administrative
facilities.

Ar. Alfred Mosher Butts decided to create a game that utilized both chance and skill by
combining elements of anagrams and crossword puzzles, a popular pastime of the 1920s. Just
like the scrabbles, the classroom buildings are in a rectangular shape. The function of the
scrabble was the main source of the concept. Since the blocks can be easily positioned from left
to right in rows and downwards and columns, the rooms are also capable of such things. It
promotes natural ventilation, fast and economic construction with local and organic materials,
simple structure and climate concerns. This building is built to survive floods, thats why the
classroom is elevated from the surface using stilts. It is a transformation of the simple wooden
scrabble blocks from the institutionalized classroom design and reintroduces the sustainable,
adaptable, durable, economical, and functional qualities of the board game.

The approach is to make the scheme that is flexible enough to facilitate learningusing
modules while providing as much empty space for learning as if autonomous and can be
recognized from stable conditions to times of disaster. Each classroom measures sixty-three (63)
square meter, with the recommended standard of three and a half (3.5) square meters per person,
in times of calamities. Every classroom can accommodate 18 people (4-5 families) comfortably.
The whole classroom is raised on concrete stilts as an adaptive measure against flooding, and a
clerestory (or high-level opening) is integrated into the design to provide passive cooling to the
classroom. It acts as a resilient and comfortable micro community with provisions for rainwater
collection, vegetative areas for a community food source, separate toilets for privacy and
cleanliness, large window openings for increase in natural lighting, with stairs, ramps and wide
doorways for less mobile persons. Each classroom has sliding panels on one of its end
connecting to the second classroom to maximize the space in times of calamities. As an added
disaster-proof measure, each classroom has an attic space, which can also be used as a storage
area for relief goods or refuge spaces.
One of the objectives of the plan is to minimize the impact of hazardous construction
materials to the surroundings until operational. Thats why it is needed to create waste materials
as part of the construction material.
 Some of the recycled sustainable materials were:
SECOND HAND SOFTDRINK CASES- used as flooring supported by flat and angled
bars; and some parts of the wall bonded together using angle bars and metal sheet. Also
used in stairs and ramps.
SAW DUST (KUSOT)- properly packed in the roof of buildings that is excellent in heat
insulation. They have been used for this purpose, although apparently not very
extensively.
TARPAULINS- used to hold the roof insulator (saw dust) in place.
FLY ASH- alternative for cement, concrete without cement offered exceptional
performance in short term and long term strength of concrete and its workability relative
to use of ordinary Portland cement concrete.

TOTAL ESTIMATE
NURSERY/KINDER CLASSROOMS
I. CONCRETE AND MASONRY
II. FORMWORKS AND
CARPENTRY
III. REINFORCING STEEL BARS
IV. ROOFING
V. PAINTS
VI. HARDWARE AND
ACCESSORIES
VII. DOORS AND WINDOWS
VIII. PLUMBING AND FIXTURES
IX. FINISHING
OVERALL TOTAL:

ELEMENTARY CLASSROOMS
I. CONCRETE AND MASONRY
II. FORMWORKS AND
CARPENTRY
III. REINFORCING STEEL BARS
IV. ROOFING
V. PAINTS
VI. HARDWARE AND
ACCESSORIES
VII. DOORS AND WINDOWS
VIII. PLUMBING AND FIXTURES
IX. FINISHING
OVERALL TOTAL: