Centro Migrante : self-help housing community for transient seafarers in Manila

Abstract

The design of sustainable housing in developing countries involves social, economical and technical issues and requires a more global and integrated planning action. In these countries, housing systems need to be designed and planned according to the local and geographical conditions, in order to best meet the requirements of the people in need of shelter. The thesis addresses this issue focusing on a specific project in the Philippines being undertaken by the entrepreneurship initiative Centro Migrante which is addressing the problem of providing housing for transient jobseekers in Manila. The thesis focuses specifically on proposing sustainable solutions for temporary dwellings which are based on detailed research on local materials, techniques and climate conditions. Architectural, structural and bioclimatic principles have been intertwined in a multidisciplinary design context to develop a housing community prototype with multiple requirements: affordability, safety in response to natural hazards (typhoons and earthquakes), energy efficiency and sustainable use of local resources. This technical research has been conducted in collaboration with Centro Migrante team managers in order to ensure that the solutions are feasible and compatible with the global business plan.