CALMA, Hans Christian S.

ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

Alternative Planning Initiatives

Unit 3A Casa San Jose
30 Road 8, Project 6
Quezon City, 1104
Philippines

April 6, 2019

Ms. Marilyn Paz

Alternative Planning Initiatives
Administrative and Finance Officer

Dear Ms. Paz,

I am Hans Christian Calma, an architecture student specializing in Sustainable Design in

Mapua University is looking forward to being able to discuss with you our project: The Turtle

House: A New Approach to Resilient Housing. I am one of the heads behind the formulation of

the project and we are all excited about this opportunity to extend our knowledge in the field of

architecture in addressing the issues regarding shortage of affordable housing in the Philippines.

The outline of the project is discussed as follows:

The Turtle House: The Turtle House: A New Approach to Resilient Housing
Written Proposal and Technical User’s Manual

I. Executive Summary

A. Overview

The Turtle House is an amphibious housing structure in an aerodynamic

hexagonal shape designed to withstand natural disasters including flood instances.

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

Among countries having high risks for disasters which includes, flood instances,

storms and earthquakes, Philippines places third with more than 360 record of

disasters that struck a death toll of a total of 33,000 people affecting 120 million

Filipinos. With the continuous growth of population in the country and scarcity of

affordable housing for the poor, it is understandable that there is a need for a

resilient and affordable housing in the country.

The team would like to ask for assistance in financing and implementing

the project from ALTERPLAN or Alternative Planning Initiatives which is a

technical service organization for housing and settlements development by self-

help and non-profit groups. To work with such organization and partner with them

will not just aid the team being able to help in the issue of the housing situation in

the country but will also help fulfill the visions of the company.

The proposal outlines further details in best furnishing the project provided

with user manual on how to properly construct it given the variations made for

innovation measures.

B. Value Proposition

The team aims to take part of mitigating the issues on affordable housing

by introducing to the typology an innovation to make it resilient at the same time.

Unlike other proposals of which are conventional, the Turtle House features a

hexagonal plan wherein the shape is best at resisting wind pressures. The he barrel

encasement, which can also serve as storage on regular seasons, makes the structure

float during flood occurrence. The mechanism behind that is on its column supports
CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

consisting of two parts: the interior shaft of which are made of steel and recycled

PVC mesh (gabions) and the exterior shaft which is made of timber wood.

II. Introduction

With the continuous growth of population in the Philippines and the current

scarcity of affordable housing for the poor, informal settlement numbers across the

country arises. Different government and non-governmental organizations

however, work on this issue but those areas that are susceptible to flooding need a

solution that will not require them to vacate their hometown. Thus, a need for an

affordable and resilient housing should be addressed. But what really is an

affordable and resilient housing?

Most housing programs are rowhouses with enough area to house a single

family for each unit. It comprises of a space to fulfill necessities of a person such

as a place to sleep, to cook, to eat, and spaces for sanitary purposes. While

mentioned necessities were catered, some considerations like privacy and safety

since the dwellers share a same wall with another family, need to be also take into

attention. The standard design of housing projects in the country only address what

a family needs in order to live, further than that, some other considerations of which

are mentioned already and natural disasters in addition, are yet to be considered.

A housing project, even if it’s just for the relocation of informal settlers,

considerations taken upon designing a home as a form of architecture needs to be

addressed. Meaning, it must not only cater the basic needs of its users but should

also be able to cope up with natural phenomena. Land availability is somehow a

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

problem for the relocation of these informal settlers primarily because most

available areas are prone to flooding. With this proposal, a structure with the same

typology is introduced but varies on the capability of standard housing projects in

being able to withstand or resist various natural disasters or phenomena while still

being affordable at the same time.

III. Background

A. Description

Philippines averages at 20 typhoons per year hence its location along the

Typhoon Belt in the Pacific. According to Asian Disaster Reduction Center, the

country’s geographical location and physical environment contributes to its

susceptibility to natural phenomena occurrences such as flooding, sea level rise,

tsunami, storm surges and landslides. The growing population of the country

triggers an issue to poor communities in case of adequate shelters. By adequate

shelter means affordable housing that can meet the basic requirements of structural

ability, physical durability, endurable security, and adequate protection from

inclement weather.

Housing projects for the poor are in the process of mitigation, however, the

susceptibility of the country to several disaster occurrences are yet to be part of the

considerations for the said projects which is why these projects remain vulnerable.

With the proposal the team has come up to, it will not just provide an

adequate shelter to those deprived of but will also take advantage of being able to
CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

reduce the casualties of the said natural disaster occurrences with the innovations

inculcated to it.

IV. Specific Aim of the Project

The project aims to provide an affordable housing to Filipinos of which are

living in flood-susceptible areas that only has low income. Thousands of families

in the Philippines stick with their makeshift houses suffering from uncomfortable

living experiences due to expensive housing. This project is of 80% success

probability with the aid of ALTERPLAN. With their technical assistance, the

project will serve as an opportunity for both parties in reaching their goals. Thus, it

will innovate the typology of public housing, further advancing the standards with

sustainable measures.

V. Project Description

The Turtle House is an amphibious housing structure in an aerodynamic

hexagonal shape designed to withstand natural disasters. What makes it affordable

is that it is entirely made of lumber, just like a typical wooden housing structure

with variations on its foundation for innovative measures. An amphibious house is

a structure with foundations resting on the ground but floats up whenever flood

occurs. This housing can withstand any depth of flooding due to the barrels installed

underneath the structure itself that lifts it up, sliding through the interior column

shaft. On regular days or during non-flood days, the house has a supporting system

attached to the foundation to make it stable.

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

The turtle house features two innovations: the usage of e-cooler and the

plastic barrels. The E – cooler serves as a window that uses bottlenecks instead of

glass to convert hot wind into cool ones. The plastic barrels installed underneath

the flooring make the turtle house amphibious. These plastic barrels are enclosed

through a PVC wood encasement piled closely to each other. When flood level goes

up, these barrels considering they are of plastic material, floats up on the water,

lifting also the structure.

VI. Method, Procedure, Theory

A. Building User Guide

The Building User Guide provides the builders/technicians with simple,

quick and easy guide to constructing the Turtle House in order to ensure the

efficient operation of the building to the full potential provided by the design.

There are total of 12 steps in the process to assist the technical persons in

further furnishing the Turtle House which are as follows:

1. LOCATE

a) Plot a perfect hexagonal shape in the ground with 3.15m on each

side and mark the intersecting points.

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

2. EXCAVATE

a) Excavate the ground in the intersections for the building foundation.

The depth of the excavation should be 1.20m.

b) Make the 0.35m high column footing using reinforced concrete on a

size of 0.10mx0.15m column.

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

3. COLUMNS

a) Secure the gabions by putting a spiral wire surrounding the column.

Then, fill in the gabion baskets with stones slightly larger than the mesh

openings for the exterior stones. Interior stones may be smaller than those

in the exterior.

b) Attach the gabion framework by bolting it onto the footing with the

use of a metal strap.

c) Prepare the outer column which is the concrete column casting by

using a formwork to shape the exterior column that would fit into the inner

column.

d) Attach the rollers with one side on the gabion column basket and the

other side on the concrete column casing to secure the placement of the

turtle house during flood.

Figure 1. The structural framing of the Turtle House

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

4. STRUCTURAL FRAMMING

a) Set up the structural framing of the turtle house using

0.15x0.15x3.0m coconut lumber. The structural framing should be done as

shown in Figure above. An offset of 1.20meters should be placed from the

wood posts to the end of the floor framing.

5. BARREL ENCASEMENT

a) Build the frame of the floatation device below the outermost part of

the floor framing before assembling the laminated wooden flooring from

the base to the finished floor line.

b) Attach the floatation device of the turtle house. Plastic barrels

should be placed per grid of the structural framing and secured through

rubber straps and a bamboo cage.

6. FLOORING

a) Assemble laminated wooden flooring from the base to the finished

floor line.

b) Use bolts and nail to attach flooring to framing.

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

7. WALLS

a) Attach the wall panels on every side using bolts and nails. Follow
Figure 2. Section of the Wall
the placement of materials as seen in the Figure above. The wall panels are

insulated with rockwool and covered with 12mm 4ftx8ft plywood in the

interior.

b) Create fenestrations for the placement of doors and windows.

8. UTILITIES

a) Once the structure is in place, the plumbing and electrical wiring

are to be installed.
CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

9. ROOF

a) Set up the roof on top of the walls with a pitch of 30degrees using

the galvanized iron sheets. From the center of the hexagon, measure a 1.50-

meter radius and project it to the roof framing to create the skylight

opening.

b) Place covering. Instead of using galvanized iron sheets, use

polycarbonate sheets to allow natural light in the structure. Use fasteners

to join the two materials together.

10. CEILING

a) Install the ceiling and the retractable blinds/ light diffuser.

11. DOORS AND WINDOWS

a) Install the doors and windows in the allotted fenestrations in the

wall panels.

b) Attached the frames permanently to the walls, and then the windows

and doors should be attached to the frames.

12. PLACE INTERIOR FURNITURE AND FIXTURES

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

VII. Construction Schedule

Title of Proposed Innovation Product: The Turtle House: A New Approach to

Resilient Housing

Proposed start date: April, 2019

Proposed end date: October, 2019

VIII. Qualifications

The team behind the proposal “Turtle House” are senior architecture

students specializing in Sustainable Design in Mapua University. Motivation-

driven architecture students who are in hope of a brighter future for Filipinos of all

levels. With their specialization in Sustainable Design, planning considerations

applied in design the proposal are reliable enough to consider it as sustainable.

From the proximity of spaces, factors affecting the site and the utilities, the team

really contributed efforts in making at as adequate as possible to cater basic

requirements of structural ability, physical durability, endurable security, and

adequate protection from inclement weather.

IX. Market Assessment and Competitive Landscape

A. Organizational Capabilities

The team is looking forward to being assisted by the Alternative Planning

Initiatives (ALTERPLAN) in comes of financial aid. ATERPLAN has established

its partnerships with different sponsoring organizations and with its help, the

proposal would be of success.

CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

B. Competition

The Turtle House, though of conventional wooden structure when talking

about its building typology, features a socially acceptable innovation that makes it

resilient and affordable at the same time. Unlike other proposals, the Turtle House

is acceptable may it be economic, social or environmental wise, thus making it a

sustainable project.

X. Financial Projection/Return of Investments

a. Total Expenditures = 440,000 – 500,000 pesos
i. Unit Size= 26 sqm
ii. Selling Price per sqm= 17,000 pesos
iii. Construction Cost per sqm= 15,000 pesos
iv. Selling Price per Unit= 442,000 pesos
v. Loanable Amount (90% of selling price) = 405,000 pesos
vi. Buyer’s Equity (10% down payment) = 45,000 pesos
vii. Miscellaneous Fee
1. Origination Fee (5% loan) = 20,250 pesos
2. Filing and Notarial Fee = 6,500 pesos
3. Water and Electric Meter = 5,000 pesos
4. Occupation Permit = 15,000 pesos
5. Building Permit = 30,000 pesos
6. Location Plan = 1,000 pesos
7. Prepaid Insurance (1.2% of selling price) = 5,304 pesos
8. Transfer of the Title (2% of selling price) = 8,840 pesos
9. Total= 91,894 pesos
viii. Project Expenditures
1. Pre-Construction Cost = 60,000 pesos
ix. Construction Cost = 390,000 pesos
x. Planning and Engineering (7% of construction expenses) = 27,300 pesos
xi. Marketing Management (1.5% of sales) = 6,630 pesos
xii. Selling Commission (2.5% of sales) = 11,050 pesos
CALMA, Hans Christian S. ENG13/A8
2015120533 Prof. Marites T. Fagaragan

XI. Conclusion

The Turtle House: A New Approach to Resilient Housing is designed

especially for low-income Filipinos living in areas that are highly susceptible to

natural disaster occurrences. This is lieu in the current issue in the scarcity of

affordable housing which on the other hand are not entirely purposed to cater

flood occurrences. The proposal will benefit both parties in a way that it will

allows the team to fulfill the project goal and it will allow yours, in addition in

fulfilling your visions.