The responsibility of the architect extends beyond economy, aesthetics and safety. Whether one admits it or not, architectural design has great social implications.
In Hong Kong, for example, the tightly packed tenement housing that dominates the city gave birth to notorious gangs such as the Hong Kong Triad. The youth became uncomfortable in their cramped homes and escaped into the streets to mingle with other restless kids and later got into mischief and petty crime. Eventually, these kids formed groups, got into drugs, and started harassing others to fund their vices.
We do not have to go far. Here in our country, we often hear of incest and rape that occur among family members. Most of these crimes happen in the slum areas where, due to necessity, family members and even non-relations are all cramped up in a tiny room they call home. There is an absence of privacy and modes of decency become forfeit. In most cases, these dwellings do not even have their own toilets and dressing areas. As privacy decreases, temptation increases. The perpetrators are not the only ones at fault. They are also victims of society.
These are but a few of the considerations an architect should look into in planning humane and affordable housing. Tight spaces are not bad per se as long as these are well planned and managed. Designing should be done with social implications in mind. The balance of economy and function should be properly analyzed. It is often not enough just to raise four walls and a roof.
Rooms and dwellings need not be spacious to be comfortable. One can still achieve privacy and comfort given a small area. It would be nice to have a place where a child can study in peace, a naturally lit place conducive to reading, with optimal natural light and ventilation, as well as a place where a family can pray together and interact. This will encourage the members to stay home, thereby strengthening family ties and values.
This is one of the greatest challenges facing the Filipino architect today: creating affordable dwellings that truly work. This can be achieved initially by starting to “Think Filipino”. By analyzing the needs of the modern Filipino family, we may come up with solutions that satisfy our activities, our tastes, and our values.
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