The most anticipated feature of architecture is the way it can change our culture without

anyone forcing or predicting it. As architecture evolves with time, it makes us adapt to a much more
healthier and efficient habits. “BALAI USBONG” will give you a nice peaceful environment with a durable
safe home.

Balai Usbong refers to “home of a new beginning”. Balai means bahay/house and Usbong
means sprout/pagusbong/pagyabong. It envisions the purpose and the goal of the project and to
develop new ideas and designs that can adapt to new social and climatic pressures with the use of
modern technologies. It also presents a harmonic and sustainable relationship between the users and
environment. We promote less expensive but nature friendly and comfortable homes to help middle to
lower class families. This will be perfect for families who are planning to start a new beginning to their
lives.

The Balai Usbong Project is composed of three (3) midrise buildings with 340 units and
Rowhouses with 316 units. All in all, we can present 656 units for future users/families. Balai Usbong will
provide a Mid-rise Building and a Rowhouse by using this type of materials as a concept: Spider Web for
structural designs and Tiklis. Tiklis is a type of basket made from thinned bamboo wood. The thin
bamboo sticks are woven to produce tiklis. It is commonly used as a container for harvesting fruits in the
farm. A Mid-rise Building per unit provides a 1 Bedroom, living area, Kitchen, Dining area, Toilet & Bath,
and a Laundry Area while in Raw houses that has a size of 55 sqm per unit provides a Master Bedroom,
bathroom, Bedroom (Located at the ground floor for easy access of the elderlies and pwds.), Living Area,
Kitchen, Dining Area, Balcony, Laundry Area. The flow of the floor plans allows for an open, airy great
rooms, promoting family interaction in all spaces and taking full advantage of the gorgeous landscapes
of Balai Usbong and the river view from the public park of the residence. The chosen names for the 3
Midrise Buildings are Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and the famous provinces/ tourist attractions of the
Philippines will be used as our project’s street names for promoting the culture of the Philippines and
for the good environment. Balai Usbong is located at Barangay Dulong Bayan, San Jose Del Monte
Bulacan. In Rainwater Harvesting, a robust and comprehensive green structure has been introduced as
feature element which became Water Collector / Waterway. Rainwater is collected from the canopy and
drained down to the on-site water storage and to be recycled for irrigation and water features.
Underground tanks are also provided. It will be installed in every property. Some people also prefer
underground tanks because they don’t affect their property’s aesthetics, but underground tanks is more
expensive to install than their aboveground counterparts as they require excavation and the materials
they’re made from need to be reinforced.

Balai Usbong will also provide a Tricycle Terminal located near the entrance gate for pick up and
drop off points for easy access of the residents and visitors. A club house, commercial establishments
and other recreational spaces that will be placed in the rear part of the lot and a 30-meter public park
with bike lanes included can be seen beside the river. The Offices will be located near the entrance of
the lot for the potential users of the units/lots. The entrance of Balai Usbong is inspired by the Philippine
culture and good environment using Tiklis and bamboos. The sheds that are made from bamboos are
located at the side part of the entrance. Curved roofing is used for the shed with a panel at the end of
the roof for rainwater passages. The color of the bamboo and tiklis that are used in the entrance of Bali
Usbong has not been changed because of its relation to the environment also it is classy and direct to
the culture of the place.

PHILVOCS reported that the location of Balai Usbong Project in Brgy. Dulong Bayan, San Jose Del
Monte Bulacan has a near active fault line. The nearest active fault system is about 9.9km. Since the
location of the project is near the fault line, manufactured homes like Balai Usbong homes are built to
hold out against forces like typhoons and earthquakes. The rise of the city/ location ranges from around
40 to 900 meters above sea level; the relief changes from warm lowland to cool upland as one goes
eastward. This happens because the city is part of the Sierra Madre Mountain range. The rivers and
creeks that flow in San Jose del Monte are direct rivers of the Angat River, which flows from the Angat
Reservoir. The central portion and much of its eastern section are made up of undulating hills with low
relief. High relief areas moderate slopes best describe its extreme eastern and northwestern quadrant.
The slopes of 3% to 8% are extensively found in the city, particularly on the western half. Slopes of 30%
to 50% consist of the smallest portion of the total land area.

This project will promote sense of place and community by providing many opportunities to
interact with other residents from within and outside of the community. It simplifies lives by sharing
resources and minimizing impact upon the environment.

COST
Designing a modular house for Raw houses costing ranging up to Php 500,000 while medium rise
building with each unit costing Php 300,000.

VALUE
This project is good for customization and also has the ambiance of the Philippine culture to attract
potential users.

EASE OF MAINTAINANCE
The maintenance of this project is similar to a traditional built house. The owner would have to replace
electrical and hydraulic fittings every five years to ensure optimum results. Since this project house is
made from prefabricated materials then it would have to undergo treatments that are given to
traditional wooden building to make more adaptable to climatic variations.

DURABILITY
Structurally stable and resistant from natural hindrances and pests. Their component modules are
manufactured to set standards in an indoor setting where every part of the build is tightly controlled.

SUSTAINABILITY
The project is designed to prevent damages through built-in safety features in and outside of the
houses. Security features will be provided to lessen or to avoid crimes and improve the users’ sense of
security. Features are also used to provide flexibility and comfort for people of changing abilities and
different life stages, including children and elderlies. Using multiple windows, the least expensive and
most energy-efficient way to cool buildings and allowing fresh outdoor air to replace indoor air in a
home. Ventilation works best when combined with techniques to avoid heat buildup in every home.
Ventilation with a condensation control unit gently ventilates the home from a central position to
transform a dull and tired atmosphere into a fresh and healthy environment.

MOBILITY
The structures are designed to be shipped on a large vehicle and can be assembled/ build much easier
and faster than a traditional structures/ houses.
FLEXIBILITY
Can adapt to changing conditions and forms in both community and technical issues. Changing
conditions can be demographic, environmental, or economic issues.

APPILICABILITY
The structures of this project are applicable to the environment and to the community because of its
materials used in the buildings and houses.

LIVABILITY
Balai Usbong uses building elements, fittings, and products in order to enhance usability, helping people
especially the elderlies and people with disabilities. It guarantees that the rooms and services within the
home are enough in the size and type for the potential users of each structure.

PHILOSOPHY

“Architecture is a product of good intention molded by good vision.”

Making architecture offers a unique insight into the mind and work of an Architect, starting with
the basics of the profession and finishing with the production of a scaled site model. In Balai Usbong
Project, planned housing for all families is proposed to be able to provide a nice and eco-friendly homes.
Architecture exists to create the physical environment in which people live, but architecture is more
than just the built environment that can produce a good and sustainable outcome in a design, it is also a
part of our culture. It stands as a representation of how we see ourselves, as well as how we see the
world.