As cities grow, traditional environments are being replaced by residential areas and commercial complexes—a phenomenon that contributes to the growing problem of social segregation. Streets are inherently very public spaces, and thus could be accessed as more than just a thoroughfare for its users. Transit stations in these streets can be utilized and developed as public spaces. Currently undergoing construction, the Metro Rail Transit’s Line 7 (MRT-7) will be in Commonwealth Avenue, an 18- lane highway in Quezon City. This study aims to turn one of its stations, the University Avenue station, into a public space that will be utilized by its neighboring facilities as well as the users of the train station. For data-gathering, the study will use
the Place Attachment Theory to analyze the psychosocial & sociocultural variables while the Space Syntax Theory of Natural Movement will be used to gather data for the built environment. For determining the site’s spaces, the principle of lacemaking will be applied. Transit-oriented development (TOD) and station typology case studies are analyzed to provide key knowledge to the research.

The disciplines of architecture and archaeology, though contrasting, share the common goal of preserving and nurturing the built human environment. In the Philippines, however, the practice of archaeology remains limited, with institutions such as the National Museum of Anthropology and the University of the Philippines School of Archaeology limited by insufficient infrastructure, manpower, and public awareness. This comprehensive design project explores how architecture can respond to this challenge through Salaysáy, a proposed archaeology museum and conservation facility in Manila City. Anchored on the principles of narrative architecture, the study aims to elevate archaeological practice, narrate the evolving story of Philippine archaeology, and interpret heritage in ways that engage both specialists and the general public. The study uses a henomenological approach, employing in-depth interviews with archaeologists and heritage professionals, alongside document and site analyses. A thematic analysis of this data produced key insights on the needs of archaeological practice and public engagement, from which design goals and concepts were derived. The resulting design proposal, structured around the narrative architecture principles of Elevate, Narrate, and Interpret, addresses issues such as the lack of conservation laboratories, insufficient public engagement, and limited educational spaces. The design integrates interactive exhibits, symbolic facades inspired by common artifacts, and spatial storytelling to immerse users in the processes and relevance of archaeology. Ultimately, Salaysáy demonstrates how architecture can be used as a tool to reshape perceptions, communicate layered histories, and give new life to Philippine archaeology.

Around six to seven Filipino women died daily due to childbirth in 2021. Maternal mortality ratio is a significant indicator of universal healthcare accessibility, however, despite efforts like the "No Home-Birthing" policy and the Universal Health Care Act, the Philippines continues to experience high maternal mortality with a large urban-rural disparity. Most maternal deaths could be preventable given accessible, adequate, and disaster-resilient healthcare facilities. Using a combination of purposive, convenience, and snowball sampling, a total of 7 mothers (4 gave birth through vaginal delivery; 3 through cesarean section), a nurse, and a midwife in JP Rizal Memorial District Hospital, the only district hospital in Calamba City, Laguna, participated in semi-structured interviews / focus group discussions. Thematic analysis of the data revealed four key themes: Completeness of Services, Competence and Attitude of Healthcare Staff, Accessibility of Facilities, and State of Facilities. These themes informed three core design concepts: Continuity of Care, Inclusivity, and Adaptability, inspired by the womb's consistent nourishment and provision of a natural healing and self-sufficient environment adaptable to the needs of a growing fetus. Grounded in the Continuity of Care and Respectful Maternity Care frameworks, guided by the principles of affordance theory, human-centered design, emotion design, and modular design, the study aims to propose a human-centered and disaster-resilient Level III maternity center that provides comprehensive maternal, neonatal, and gynecological care, education, and social support for low- and middle-income families, with a vision of reducing maternal mortality rates, upholding women's dignity, elevating birthing experiences, and addressing healthcare inequity in underserved settings.

A habitable bridge is an innovative architectural typology with a rich global history. While often regarded as visionary, it presents a promising solution to contemporary urban challenges such as land scarcity and housing and public space shortages. And while this typology is yet to be actuated in real life in the Philippines, this study explores how the redesigning of bridge spaces into a multi-use habitable bridge can become a modern-day solution to existing urban problems in the Philippines through the introduction of innovative building typologies to our cities dense urban landscape. This research highlights the potential of habitable bridges as a means of increasing the utility of underused interstitial spaces such as bridges. It aims to produce a habitable bridge in consideration of the Philippine context with regards to its concerns of land scarcity and the persistent unsafe habitation of bridge spaces in urban areas. The development aims to address this gap in architecture as well as provide more public recreational spaces for the residents of Manila, specifically the Ermita and Sta. Cruz area by creating a mixed-use space that takes advantage of the scenic views of the Pasig River.

The ongoing redevelopment plans for the Pasig River aims to revitalize the use of the waterway by promoting tourism and recreation; however, the plans eye on displacing thousands of informal settler families (ISFs) along the Pasig River to remote areas, threatening their livelihoods and cultivated social linkages. The design advocates for the integration of informal settlers in the revitalization of the Pasig Riverfront due to their decades-long acclimation to the locality and their ingenuity and collective resilience. Consultations with informal settler communities through face-to-face interviews were done to know more about their demands, current situation, and their capacity to take on a proactive approach in addressing urban issues. The community-centric approach in the study dictates the needed spaces and the overall layout of the project. Analysis of the interviews found that most informal settlers along the area have experience with skilled construction, and the social bonds between them and the surrounding community increases their adaptive resilience. The design first aims to address the lack of adequate housing for ISFs to primarily facilitate their proactive capacity in participating in the Pasig Riverfront revival. Prefabricated modular housing construction streamlines the construction process to lessen costs, making housing more affordable to the urban poor. Community spaces and neighborhood amenities were also included to facilitate social linkages and build on their collective resilience. Commercial spaces along the river are also left open for modular and configurable setups, transforming to the ever-changing demands of the community. The design also adapts nature-based solutions to mitigate flood risks associated with the site, and passive regenerative technologies are integrated to develop a low-cost, sustainable structure. The project aims to provide a community-centric framework in approaching future riverfront developments and collective housing projects in the country.