Analysis on consideration of socio-cultural

factors in conservation of historic buildings

The practice of Heritage Conservation in the context of the regular
practice of architecture has either been largely misunderstood or, at
worse, regarded as architecture with an outdated twist. The important
link that architecture has as a manifestation of Philippine identity can
only be seen if we regard the expression of space as socio-cultural in
nature, including the intangible connections of the design process to
our own Philippine value systems and concepts. Assessing a heritage
resource using the scientific method, in this case historic buildings will
only help but aid in its judicious conservation and future use as a
contemporary functioning building. The interpretation of this
assessment aids us in the proper adaptive re-use of the historic
building without losing its heritage value

The researcher will have a study through analysis of the problem and possible strategies thru researching
and gather information in the official organization with sources about the subject. The researcher will also
have case studies about existing adaptive reuse of heritage buildings here in the Philippines and also their
existing economic activities.

Thus, designing for future buildings with embedded adaptive reuse potential is a useful criterion for
sustainability. Building adaptive reuse entails less energy and waste, protects the buildings heritage
values- its socio-cultural and historic meanings; while giving them a new lease of life. This paper looks
into urban conservation-- an interdisciplinary field that combines adaptive reuse, architecture and
community development. It will further introduce the development of a new rating tool, suitable for
assessing the adaptive reuse potential of future buildings to lead and help promote the development of
low to no carbon built environments.
Consideration of socio-cultural factors in repurposing historic houses in Philippines Background

In the 2013 Heritage Conservation Summit led by Heritage Conservation Society and the City
Government of Quezon City, the importance of heritage conservation was given emphasis. The best
practices of adaptive reuse, an important aspect of heritage preservation, in the Philippines was also
discussed. The demolition of Jai Alai building in Manila on June 2000 started the movement of
conservationists in protecting heritage structures. Over the past few years, preservation of ancestral or
historic houses has also began. There are a few Filipino ancestral houses, listed or not listed as
heritage, that were converted into spaces suchas private museum and oce. Although adaptive reuse
is considered as saving an old buildings life through giving it a new purpose, the new function it has to
perform should still be relative to its environment and behavior of the surrounding people.This research
proposal discusses why socio-cultural factors are needed to be considered when repurposing historic
houses, and the importance of its consideration. This research proposal covers old houses that are listed
or not listed as heritage.

Review of Related Literature

Characteristics of historic houses in the Philippines:

Historic houses in the Philippines are houses owned and conserved by a family for generations. This is a
Filipino culture among families. Sometimes, due to the historical and architectural signicance of these
historic houses, some of them are converted into museums displaying the old furniture of the house and
other possessions owned by the family that used to live in the house.The Heritage House by the National
Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) determines whether an old house is historic by
following a guideline. Some of the qualications to be considered historic house include; possess
demonstrable historical signicance, and be at least fty (50) years old and seventy (70) percent
authentic (NHCP Guidelines on the Identication, classication, and recognition of historic sites and
structures in the Philippines, 2011).There are also some old houses that are historic but not listed as
heritage houses. These housesare historic because of the materials that were used, and architectural
styles that were incorporated. Some of them were also built decades ago but not more than 50 years
old.

Socio-cultural factors and its inuence in Architecture:

One of the main goals of an architect in designing houses is to consider the needs and aspirations of the
users. The socio-cultural satisfaction of these users is a part of this goal. If the house is not designed in
accordance with the users socio-cultural satisfaction, the architect failed in designing the house
(Adedayo, 2010).Socio-cultural behavior and the inhabitants way of life have an eect on the design of
the dwelling unit and the settlement (Oren, 1996). Plans of houses are usually planned based on the
behavior of its users, and their schedule for the day. The socio-cultural factors that inuence the lay-
outing of some houses as discussed by Dikmen (2005) are the following:

1)Family structure and size2)Safety3)Privacy4)ReligionThe size of the family determines how many
rooms there should be, the sizes of each room, and the like. Safety is important in determining if fences
are applicable or needed badly. Privacy of eachuser within the house is signicant; their personal, social
and public privacy. Religion plays an important role, too. It helps determine the positioning of each
spaces

analysis

Research questions

How can socio-cultural factors aect the repurposing of a historic house? And the decision of what new
function it should serve?

Research Objectives

The aim of this project is to:

a)Know

the characteristics of historic houses in the Philippines and underlying reasons why they need to be
preserved.

b)Determine

the socio-cultural factors that may inuence the repurposing of old houses

c)Investigate

possible adaptive reuse solution for old houses, considering socio-cultural factors.
Methodology

Methods to be used:The methods to be used in this research proposal will be a combination of three
methods under Descriptive method. Descriptive Survey method and Descriptive Normative method will
be used to address the rst question: 1) What are socio-cultural factors and its inuence in architecture?
Descriptive Normative method will be used to address the second and third questions respectively: 2)
What are the characteristics of historic houses in the Philippines? And 3) What are the qualications
needed to repurpose a historic house/structure? For the main research proposal question: How can
socio-cultural factors aect the repurposing of a historic house? And the decision of what new function
it should serve? Combination of Descriptive Survey method and Descriptive Evaluative method will be
used. Descriptive Survey method will answer what socio-cultural behavior the people has in the
environment the houses are in. It will also answer whether the repurposed houses are still relative to its
surrounding environment and people through observing. Descriptive Evaluative method will be used to
evaluate the data that will be gathered and to judge if socio-cultural factors will have an inuence in
repurposing historic houses.

Gathering of data:Data gathering presentation includes two type of data; Primary (or Raw) data and
Secondary data. Primary data gathered are rst hand data such as photos, distributed survey forms,
questionnaire forms, rst-hand observation, and the like. The primary data for this research proposal
will be gathered through interviewing people that are living near or have access to historic houses,
giving them survey and questionnaire forms to answer, and rst-hand or personal observations of the
historic houses during site visits. The aim of the primary data gathering is to know the current state or
situation of historic houses. Secondary data are data provided by the national government that come in
several forms such as graphs and plans. Secondary data will be gathered through the National Historical
Commission of the Philippines for information about the characteristics of historic houses, and through
the Congress of the Philippines for existing laws regarding historic preservation. Tools to be used:

The tools to be used for the data gathering will be; camera for photograph and video documentation
and interviewing people, notepad for writing down information, and laptop for data encoding and
presentations. Instruments to be used: The instruments to be used for the data gathering will be survey
or questionnaire forms, and MS Powerpoint for presentations if needed. The survey of questionnaire
forms will be answered either online or in-person.

Research Significance (or Rationaleor Expected outcomes

This research proposal will have a signicant part in the re-evaluation of the factors that are needed to
be considered when repurposing a structure. This research goes back to one of the basic considerations
in construction which is people and their surrounding environment. This factoris still important in
repurposing a structure. This research will also be benecial to the society, especially to the built
environment. The continuing movement of preserving historic buildings proves the need of a better
criteria of repurposing structures. Thus, applying the factor studied thoroughly in this research will result
to a better and improved evaluation of repurposing historic houses.

Torabi, Zohreh, and Sarah Brahman. "Eective Factors in Shaping the Identity of Architecture."

IDOSI Publications

. N.p., 2013. Web. 30 June 2016.

Computer addiction is a disorder that widely spreading around the globe without noticing its effects to
our lives. The study is about creating a therapeutic environment and treatment center for computer
addicts in the Philippines. This includes several therapeutic therapies and treatments that will be the
basis for architectural spaces that will be created within the facility for better and more comfortable use
of the patients. In this study, we will know about the symptoms, effects and solution for this type of
addiction, specifically in the Philippines. This project aims to be a therapeutic rehabilitation center in
computer addiction providing the patients a therapeutic environment that will help them recover from
their addiction disorder by experiencing different types of therapy, the unique feature of this center
includes adventure-based and nature intensive therapy that is good for behavioral modification. Since
this project will be the first of its kind in Philippines, This will serve as a prototype of therapeutic built
environment for Filipino computer addicts

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STUDY OF SELECTED ESTATES IN MINNA, NIGERSTATE, NIGERIA." Academia. N.p., 2010. Web. 17 June
2016.Flores, Wilson Lee. "Ivan Henares and Tats Manahan: Heritage Conservation Can Boost the Real
Estate Business and Tourism." PhilStar Global. The Philippine Star, 11 Nov. 2013. Web. 21 June
2016."Guidelines on the Identication, Classication, and Recognition of Historic Sites and Structures in
the Philippines 2011." National Historical Commission of the Philippines. NHCP, 2011. Web. 30 June
2016.Abbaszadeh, Shahab, Rahinah Ibrahim, Mohamed Nasir Baharuddin, and Azizah Salim. "Identifying
Persian Traditional Socio-cultural Behaviors for the Application in the Design of ModernHigh-Rise
Residences." (2009): n. pag. Web. 30 June 2016