The Riverbank Development

A Landscape Design DevelopmentStudyopportunity case study

This is another landscape architecture design opportunities we would like to share from the beginning till it’s  completion. 

This is the riverside development proposal along the naglabusan river at Castillejos, Zambales, Philippines. 

The Design Report

As part of the rural development and in connection with Landscape design proposal, this is a good subject to share. For Landscape architecture degree students and even professionals, the design study report is a common medium where all of the design proposal and process are presented to the client where all research  and data are recorded. In short, it is a major design document submitted as the basis for the approval. 

The outline of the Design study report  is as follows;

1. The Executive Summary
2. Introduction
3. Brief overview of the project
4. The site Survey and Analysis
5. The Design program 

This is just part of a broader topics included in the design report. For the purpose of sharing an actual case study, some aspects of the design report are confidential. 

This is to give opportunity to Landscape architecture and rural planning students get some relevant access to this project for their own learning. 

1. The Executive Summary 

The Executive Summary is the first page of the Design study report that summarizes all of the content in the design study report. A broadto It is and concise report submitted to the client in the pre-design stage of the design process. 

Several meetings will be conducted to monitor and evaluate the progress of the riverside development plan. 

2. The introduction

Is an overview of the proposed design. It will give a full introductory to the Design program as well as the design intent. Usually starts with a brief history of the subject which is the riverbank as the potential means  in the rural development of barangay Naglabusan. 

The existing problem and its potential threat to the neighborhood and the greater benefit it will give to the ofbarangay and the municipality as a whole. One of which is the opportunity to upgrade the living standards of the community, preservation of natural resources and the landscape design opportunities that will blend the environment and the people's activity within the scope and vicinity of the river. 

3. The brief overview of the project

This section gives the reader the expected outcome of the project. It describes thathow how the whole area is going to be developed. The overview is an insight which is part of the designers vision to the development of the project, it may be changed as the progress goes on. It can eventually changed by improving more depending on the situation that may arise in the future. This is the pre-design stage so everything is for testing with other factors considered in the design.

4. The Site Survey and Analysis

The site survey and analysis is one of the most critical and aspects of the design process. Gather as much information as you can. The lot plan, the neighboring lots, the description of the land, existing vegetation. The observation of sun orientation as well as the existing utilities should also be done.

Then comes the analysis, the design concept can be very challenging by the way all structures will be arranged and organized. 

Site Survey

The site survey can be seen in itsflash floodsGoogle map images. As shown in our examples here;

This image shows the whole length of the extent of the riverside scope of development. As of our initial site investigation, the main entry point is from the existing bridge. The bridge has it’s own historical significance to the Barangay. This has been reconstructed many times due to heavy rains and flash-floods. From a temporary structure to a reinforced concrete bridge. That can be part of our narrative to formulate our design concepts

The site photos

Shows the existing natural environment and will help us visualize the whole surroundings. From this alone, there are a lot of ideas come to mind and these are good points to write down all ideas come to mind as we go to the design concept formulation. 

5. The Design Program

The design program will come in different stages, the schematic designs, design development and the construction. The schematics are usually diagrams and hand sketches to explore the ideas done for the solution to the spaces required. The relationships of each structure in terms of their use and functionality. 

As of now, we are in this stage. Here are some of the sketches done as part of the initial study on the basic framework of the plan which determines the Lines and the connecting points. The lines represents the road and from thisis, we can identify the major spine where all major activities are coming from the transportation system. The starting point are the existing roads to analyze the traffic floc and vehicular movement. 

 

The Framework

The initial sketches is a basic guideline in planning the whole development. We can identify the volume of transportations aretransportationin and out of the area. This is to establish a strategy to where we can connect the project proposal to the street, this will be the intersection that will define the public area to the private property entrance. 

The public transport analysis

As we have shown the scope of the development, the development plan will be divided into three phases. This will define the scope and limitations of our design study report. For our presentation, you can see the proposed layout of the master plan in relation to the general design concept and idea generation that we find necessary to consider in our design studies. 

The proposed phases of development

As we go through the process, this is the initial submission of the design intent of the project. There will be Three (3) phases of development. The first part will be the connection point from the bridge

The development will support the Barangay’s community development and this will complement each other. The adjacent site covering an entire lot area of approximately 89 hectares is also part of our design studies on a separate design report. I have mentioned this to connect the advantages of doing the riverbank project development and we are dealing with a separate clientele. The first one is with the cooperative and the Barangay officials and the other one is a privateabout owned family of farmers. 

The Phase 1

Is approximately 500 meters in length with 20 meter easement. It isSeveral issues needs to be addresses and as we go further, we are getting more detailed information about the site. The issues and concerns that Octoberneed to be addressed, such as ;

1. The existing condition and the problems encountered by local residents living along the riverside.  
2. The actual condition of the river especially during the heavy rainfall of as early as May to october.
3. The overall impact of tge river to the community and identifying need for its development

These are some of the questions we are attempting to answer to come up with a design proposal. 

The next phase of The Design Study Report

We will be covering more on this aspect in our next blog, this is just an overview of how the process will go with corresponding research and data gathering like the site survey, the lot plan, the the existing road, existing trees that may affect the overall design considering the environment and natural resources guidelines and preservation of our eco-system and so on. 

Project Data:

Start on  Site August 2021

Completion date:

Gross area

Procurement route  Construction Management

Construction cost Undisclosed

Architect Leonardo Domingo and MMCortez

Client Undisclosed

Structural engineer

M&E consultant

Quantity surveyor

Ecology

Low-carbon energy system

Landscape consultant

Project manager MM Cortez Construction Services 

CDM co-ordinator

Approved building inspector

Main contractor MM Cortez Construction Services

CAD software used