While living in the US many, many, moons ago, I indirectly came across the concept and function of a “Design Committee” that oversaw, reviewed and had the power to approve or disapprove architectural designs. The committee was chaired by a strong-willed lady, backed by two other ladies, along with a couple of men who seemingly would have been happier at the golf course than in the meeting room.
Initially, I thought that the committee was there simply to make sure that “class” and the “standards” of the exclusive community would be maintained. But as it turns out, such gatekeepers are needed to fill in what some architects, designers or even property developers seriously lack mentally.
Every time I go through a local airport, huge malls or government buildings I often hear women say “Shoot the architect” or “this building was clearly designed by a bunch of men who had no idea of women’s personal needs or comfort.” Given that women often do their thing in twos or as a group, that lamentation will find its way beyond rest rooms and rest areas, which is why the complaints are all too familiar or repetitively unforgettable.
That sentiment is usually related to the design of women’s toilets or comfort rooms that are almost always lacking in the number of stalls or lavatories in relation to time and motion of women. Aside from not providing enough stalls and adequate space for women to maneuver inside comfort rooms, especially when they are carrying shopping bags, suitcases etc., there is almost never enough toilet paper, paper towels, decent dispensers and a disposal system that would dispose of and deliver used toilets papers, etc. out of the way, not over flowing from trash bins onto the floor and preferably sucked by some giant vacuum system elsewhere!
I kind of hoped that with the passing of time and the arrival of younger architects, business owners or property developers, these lamentations would become a thing of the past. But it has not; in fact, architectural design in the Philippines seems to have been caught in a design limbo and has degenerated into other areas.
Take, for instance, parking lots and multi-level parking designs in the country. I recently heard a rather sad story about a multibillion-peso events area that has become a showcase in terms of design, capacity and source of joy for the group that boldly came up with the vision and project. The venue is definitely eye-catching and has in fact been very popular for major concerts and events.
Unfortunately, the devil is in the details and underneath all that pride of place, a major design flaw related to parking has apparently been limiting the use or purpose of the venue. It seems that the planners, architects, builders were so focused on their statement piece or the architectural showcase that they forgot about building multiple parking lots with multiple entry and exits as well as multiple access points to the nearby highways, both toll and non-toll.
As a result, the venue can only host single events where the audience or event goers all drive in before an event and leave approximately altogether after the event. It’s almost like a cattle-chute where vehicles come in and go out. If multiple events were to take place all day, like different sporting events all through the day, the parking lot reportedly would turn into motorist hell because traffic piles up by kilometers.
This belated outcome for the impressive venue clearly dispels the Hollywood claim that “If you build it, they will come” because now that word is spreading about the parking lot from hell, sporting event’s organizers as well as potential attendees have started to shy away from the venue because of the “carmagedon” that comes with the deal. It is ironic and tragic that property developers as well as the Philippine government invests billions of pesos for malls, airports, sport arenas, hospitals, etc., only to be robbed because parking lot size and design were treated as an after-thought or a boring necessity.
Anyone who visits malls and brings a car, especially a van or SUV, will surely have their own horror stories about parking garages designed by the devil. Upscale malls in the middle of the metro have gotten away with reckless endangerment through architectural design. At least two malls have placed extremely steep, looping, slippery multi-level driveways that many drivers find intimidating, challenging or downright scary and dangerous.
In addition to this, drivers regularly bring up the issue of “insufficient safe clearance in terms of height and length of the driveways and ceilings.” Why the different city halls and building officials of the area have allowed such narrow, short lanes and low overhead clearance for vans and SUVs, makes these officials highly suspect!
It is about time that the different bodies that oversee the training and education of architects look into subjects that will heighten the gender sensitivity of architects in terms of needs and comfort, that architects are required to consult with engineers and automotive experts regarding slopes, loops and safety in design for ordinary drivers and the DILG should really spend time to inspect the many buildings and venues in the country to check if building officials at the many city halls and provincial capitols are doing their job or just accepting grease money in exchange for certificates of compliance or occupancy permits.
So much money, time and business opportunities are wasted. Lives can be at risk, while we all just shrug our shoulders and assume nothing can be done. Well, I for one will eventually mention those places, buildings and LGUs that have brought us discomfort and endangered our lives. So if you would, share your stories on social media. Maybe that will motivate some of those cost-cutting, penny-pinching folks to do remedial work on their parking lots and bathrooms from hell.
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