Design Guidelines: Public Buildings

Design Guidelines: Public & Government Buildings
School, Research Laboratories, Library, Museums, City Halls, Civic Centers, Hospitals, Fire Stations, Police Stations, Parks, Embassies, Penitentiaries, Sports Center, Churches, Seminary, Memorial Parks, Cemeteries, Public Markets

School
- Identify primary users classification – pre-school, elementary, secondary and tertiary.
- Consider the three major components of the academe – instruction, reasearch and extention.
- Lecture room size as per DECS/CHED requirements shall be 8.00 mts. x 9.00 mts. for 40 students. Laboratories/studios vary according to nature of activity and equipments involved.
- All doors must swing out towards the corridor side.
- Provide ample movement facilities like hallways, emergency exits, etc.
- Safety and security measures.
- Provide ancilliary facilities.



Research Laboratories
- Holding area for specimens.
- Provisions of work stations and technical library.
- Records vault must be provided.
- Safety and security, surveillance system.
- Databank facilities.


Library
- Determine book holdings.
- Use of ICT features.
- Provide book repairs and work area.
- Ample storage facilities.
- Dumbwaiter must be provided for multi floor libraries
- Ample light and ventilation.




Museums
- Careful study of circulation system / flow of viewers.
- Provide vault for priceless collections
- Provide vault for priceless collections
- Adequate curatorial spaces.
- Flexible service entrance for large exhibit materials.
- Safety and security.


City Halls / Civic Centers
- Application of all laws and provisions on design and construction.
- Heavy, public-oriented / transactional areas must be at the ground floor.
- Presence of government line agencies.
- Flagpole and assembly areas.
- Provide social and recreational facilities.


Hospital
- Strict zoning of areas as to sterile/non-sterile; private/public; quite/noisy etc.
- Relationships of major divisions – OPD, Emergency, Clinical, Surgical, Wards, Administrative, Ancilliary, facilities.
- Create a healing environment.


Fire Stations
- Sanctity of the apparatus floor
- Provide hose tower for hose drying and training.
- Study equipment/apparatus flow.
- Quarters and living areas.
- Administration and nightwatch must be public oriented.
- Equipment storage and facilities like oxygen refill, etc.
- Ancilliary facilities.


Police Stations
- Provide an authoritative booking counter.
- Armory must be near office of station commander.
- Safety and security features.
- Cell separation.
- Quarters and lounge.
- Other ancilliary facilities.


Parks
- Consider specific use like children’s botanical etc.
- Landscaping features are important considerations.
- Harmonious zoning of spaces and facilities
- User friendly, safety and security features.
- Color, texture and forms are salient design factors that must be carefully considered
- Openness quality, free-flowing movement
- Segregation of areas of different activities and features.
- Create harmonizing features/elements
- Provide ancilliary facilities.



Embassies
- Delineation of consular affairs, attaches portfolio office; and ambassadorial office.
- Security safety and evacuation features.
- Quarters for staff and residential units
- Public / social spaces considerations.
- Country image.


Penitentiaries
- Classification of areas by concentric arrangement like maximum security-inner space; medium security-middle space; and light security-outer precincts.
- Security/surveillance features
- Recreational/occupational areas.
- Humane environment.
- Ancilliary facilities.


Sports Center
- Provision of facilities accordingly to sport to be accommodated
- Areas for multi purpose activities.
- Provide ample toilet, shower, locker dressing facilities.
- Main floor shall be convertible for other functions.
- Public spaces like bleachers and stadium galleries must be adequately provided with ambulatory features and amenities.
- Underfloors shall be promoted for other uses like rentable spaces or storage facilities.
- Use of resilient materials
- Ancilliary facilities



Churches (Catholic)
- Follow Design standards for Catholic churches set forth by the episcopal commission as implemented by the office of the Arzobispado de Manila and the CBCP
- Know the placement of the nave side altars, sanctuary/altar, perpetual adoration chapel of the sacrament, baptistry, sacristy, choir, rectory, bell tower, etc. and their features.
- Must be conscious of heritage, practices, rituals, and traditions.
- Must be user friendly.
- Must exude piety and serenity.
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Seminary
- Strict zoning of areas according to basic funtions like private, semi-private and public.
- Provide spaces that are conducive for vocation formation.
- Optional provision of Chastity alley if required.
- Provide adequate spaces for spiritual, academic, recreational, social, and cultural.
- Provide ancilliary facilities


Memorial Parks / Cemeteries
- Consider Zoning of areas according to classification like, ground plots, garden types, mausoleums, Crypt, Cineraria, Angelorio etc.
- Provide amenities for users
- Provide ample parking spaces and convertible spaces especially during all Saint’s Days.
- Create visual focus, terminal, anchorage.
- Critical consideration for landscaping elements.
- Serene and spiritually motivating ambiance.
- Provide ancilliaries.


Public Markets
- Consider the three basic areas – wet, semi-wet and dry markets
- Ventilation and exhaust system must be adequate.
- Fire protection/Suppression system and features.
- Stall size must be in the module 3.00 x 3.00 mts for flexibility of lessee requirements.
- Waste disposal system.
- Provide market master office, storage facilities, and other ancilliary spaces.
- Regional form and image must be incorporated.
- Parking facilities for delivery and the public must be amply provided.
- MRF facilities needed


SLAUGHTERHOUSE
- Sanitation features
- Loading and unloading docks must be carefully planned.
- Poultry and cattle holding stations must be provided
- Waste disposal system.
- Carcass hanger system must be provided.
- Quarters for staff.
- Ancilliary facilities