Pandacan Oil Depot Redevelopment
Pandacan Oil Depot Redevelopment
Pandacan Oil Depot Redevelopment
Brief History of Pandacan, Manila Pandacan is one of the many districts of the city of Manila; located south of the Pasig River Banks, southwest of Sta. Ana, east of Ermita and Northeast of Paco. It is divided into 38 Barangays (Barangays 833 to 872) which includes Zone 90 to Zone 95. Pandacan has a total population of 82,194 in year 2000. Tagalong migrants from Bulacan were the original residents of Pandacan. Pandacan was originally established as the industrial center for the city of Manila during the turn of the 20th century. Oil depots which service more than half of the fuel requirement of the country were established along the banks of the Pasig River in the district. Pandacan's western section, along Doctora Paz Pendoza-Guazon Street (formerly called Otis Street) was once a row for manufacturing such ascoconut oil processing, rope making, and soda bottling and distribution for Coca-Cola. Pandacan hosts most of the country's auto dealerships and showrooms, such as Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Ford and Isuzu. Officially, Pandacan was established as a community in 1574 when Franciscan priests of the Roman Catholic Church established the first mission in the district. Pandacan was originally part of the parish of Sampaloc; it was later established as a separate parish in 1712. Pandacan was a farming community, producing small quantities of rice and sugar that were sold to the Spanish enclave in Intramuros. Aside from a few vegetable plots, the old Pandacan produced bricks and tiles, colored cotton laces but in limited quantities. The district also produced shoes and small boats. In the 19th century, Pandacan was described as a "Little Venice" or "Little Italy" for its numerous canals or estuaries leading to the Pasig River. Many would leisurely row through the estuaries in the late afternoons as described by Francisco Balagtas in his early writings. Pandacan was home to balladeers and a source of musicians in the early times. Late in the Spanish era and into the American regime, Pandacan was developed into becoming the first industrial estate in the Philippines. The first modern manufacturing company was built in Pandacan and was called the Compaia General de Tabacos de Filipinas in 1882, a modern cigar-making plant. By the turn of the 19th century, the American colonial government decreed Pandacan as the center for industrial activity and had oil companies build their storage and distribution facilities in the district. With the presence of several manufacturing facilities in the district, a modern housing facility was built to house the workers at the nearby oil depots. The housing project was called "Kapitan Tikong" (Captain Tikong) subdivision, named after a popular local leader. The housing
facility was built on the southeastern banks of the Estero de Beata. In honor of Francisco Baltazar, the streets in the subdivision were named after the characters of Florante at Laura.
The old farming community before were now seen as an Industrial Complex ever since the American occupies the Philippines. In 1914 Shell established its facilities on the area, followed by Caltex (now Chevron) in 1917, and Petron in 1922. Pandacan Oil depot is a 33 hectare compound that houses the facilities and distribution terminals of then so called Phillipines Bog 3 Chevron, Petron, and Shell. What can be found here is 313 million liters of gasoline, diesel, bunker fuel, jet fuel, and other highly volatile chemical substances. The guarded fenced facility is in the city of Manila, in close proximity to densely populated areas of Pandacan, Paco, Sta. Mesa, and Sta. Ana. Along the
Figure 2 Oil Silos in Pandacan Depot
same riverbank, less than two kilometres away, lies the seat of the nations power, Malacanang Palace.
Incidents and Ordinances Several incidents were associated to the oil depot that has caused damage to properties and threats to lives of the people over the years. Two Shell oil tankers exploded within its premises in February 1997. Fires in Muntinlupa in 1999 were caused by pipeline leaks. Tanker was set on fire on the foot of Nagtahan Bridge in 2008. Recently, in July 2010, the FPC underground pipeline leak caused panic and anxiety among residents as water mixed with oil on basement of West tower Condominium in Barangay Bangkal, Makati City. In 2001, Ordinance No. 8027 was passed by the Manila City Council. This ordinance reclassified Pandacan from industrial to a commercial area. It gave oil companies six months to vacate the area. Ordinance No. 8119, in 2006 ordered the phasing out of hazardous industries in the city, which includes the oil depot. In March 2009, Ordinance 8027 was endorsed by Supreme Court; while the City Coubcil passed Ordinance No. 81817 to contradict the SC message of primacy of life over the interest of private companies. This time, the area was reclassified as a heavy industrial zone allowing highly pollutive and extremely hazardous industries operate here, including oil refineries. Thus, this allowed the oil depot to remain. In May 28, 2009, Mayor Alfredo Lim approved the controversial Ordinance 7177, which allows the oil depot here in Pandacan to stay. It supersedes the previous Ordinance 8027 which classified Pandacan and Sta. Ana as residential and commercial areas instead of industrial. In late 2012, Ordinance No. 8283 re-classified the area as a high-intensity commercial zone, thus giving the oil depot until 2016 to relocate, but it was barred by outgoing Mayor Alfredo Lim. Instead, proposals have been set forth to transfer the facilities to the North Ahrbor, still in the City of Manila. However, this is likewise a highly populated area and would not eradicate the hazards to life and property.
The Lament of Pandacan Residents At present, an estimated 85,000 people live in Pandacan. Nearby, there are elementary and high schools, and across the Pasig River the Polytechnic University of the Philippines with more than 60,000 students. There have been consistent calls from civic and church groups for relocation of the oil depot to an area far from the general population where it will cause hazards, lives and properties. Counter arguments claim that this will mean a loss of income for the residents and the city. However, Antonio Santos,
Figure 3 Campaign Poster against Mayor Lim and City council's City ordinance. (mypandacan.com)
lifelong resident of Pandacan and president of AESJ (Advocates for Environment and Social Justice) said that only real taxes are paid to the City of Manila since the company taxes are paid to the City of Makati where the companies headquarters are located. And Santos also pointed out that only 1,500 workers are employed within the depot which most of them are not even residents of Manila. AESJ is a league of organizations including South Balagtas Neighbourhood Association (SBNA), Samahang Sariling Sikap, Movement for the Advancement of Student Power (MASP), Teatro Balagtas (TBP), and Akbayan Dist. VI. It has been very voacal about the need to remove and rehabilitate the area known as the Pandacan Depot.
Pandacan Oil Depots Transformation Various organizations specifically AESJ have collaborated with many experts to draw up plans not only to remove hazardous facilities but also the area that will be vacated. According to Santos, the large complex when opened up as business centres, sports complex, cultural venues, etc. will surely increase the employment rate nearby and the environment will be beneficial too. To answer this, People especially on the planning and construction industry should make a proposal that will benefit equally the people and environment. A planned unit development where everything is on one cluster will be the most appropriate solution when companies vacate the site. This redevelopment of such is not new anymore to our country. Rockwell Centre in Makati which is also located along the Pasig River banks is an old 15.5 hectare thermal power plant operated by Lopez owned Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company. Rockwell Center began its construction in 1998. The design of the centre was carried out by international architectural firm Skidmore, Owings, Merril under the direction of former design partner Larry Oltmanns.
Figure 4 Power Plant Mall exterior (right) and interior (left); opened in December 2000 were the masterpiece of Rockwell Centre. (en.wikipedia.org)
The Rockwell Center includes high-rise office buildings, condominium towers, a law and business schools and a shopping mall.
Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig an old military camp was converted, in 2003 by Ayala Land, Inc. and Evergreen Holdings, Inc. partnered with Bases Conversion and Development Authority; into a development where office buildings, residential condominiums, mall and retails shops. This area that once synonymous to war was turned into a world class business and residential centre today. BGC effectively links all this developments by properly and intensively using not an ordinary public parks and spaces.
Figure 5 Rockwell Center at night (left) and Bonifacio Global City Skyline (right). (en.wikipedia.org)
BGC and Rockwell Centers successful stories is an epitome that Pandacan Oil Depot once vacated by the oil companies; by proper execution of plans, and strict administration will surely be a another world-class development in our country.
Pandacan Oil Depot a Planned Unit Development Planned Unit Development (PUD) controls and promotes:
A mixture of both land uses and dwelling types with at least one of the land uses being regional in nature The clustering of residential land uses providing public and common open space
Increased administrative discretion to a local professional planning staff while setting aside present land use regulations and rigid plat approval processes The enhancement of the bargaining process between the developer and government municipalities which in turn strengthens the municipality's site plan review and control over development for potentially increased profits due to land efficiency, multiple land uses, and increased residential densities.
Frequently, PUDs take on a variety of forms ranging from small clusters of houses combined with open spaces to new and developing towns with thousands of residents and various land uses. However, the definition of a PUD does not take into consideration these types of developments unless they fit into a category of size ranging from 100 to 200 acres (40 to 81 ha). In a PUD the property owner owns the land the dwelling sits on. Planned unit development (PUD) ordinances allow developers flexibility to depart from existing zoning requirements in exchange for fulfilling an established set of planning criteria. PUDs are also called planned residential developments (PRDs) or urban planned developments (UPDs). The benefits of PUD can include more efficient site design and lower infrastructure and maintenance costs. Ordinances can also be written to require or incentivize public benefits such as affordable housing or open space in exchange for regulatory flexibility and assumed cost savings. Tools like density bonuses and parking reductions can help underwrite the cost of incorporating low- and moderate-income units into a project, either through established incentive programs or implemented on a case-by-case basis through development. PUDs are frequently created as floating or overlay zones. Alternatively, land slated for a known project could be rezoned as a PUD. Standards will vary based on the intent of the ordinance. For example, a PUD ordinance designed to add diverse housing forms to a single family area could allow smaller lot sizes, attached dwellings or flexible setbacks. Determine the mix of uses to be permitted in the PUD district, lot size requirements and guidelines for building height, bulk, and design and site orientation. Open space allowances may be important for large properties or on those where the density is greater than the surrounding zone. Design guidelines complement PUD ordinances, and can help ensure appropriate community design and compatibility with adjacent properties. Connecting PUDs to the overall fabric of the community through good design, traffic circulation and site requirements is essential for success and community buy-in. Review of proposed PUDs is often site and project specific. Designating PUDs or offering them as a development option are good techniques to motivate redevelopment of brownfields or vacant properties in urban centers. PUDs are generally directed at market rate developments, but subsidized projects can locate in PUDs as
well. Because of the special nature of PUDs, and their potential to create housing forms that differ from neighbouring properties, cities often stipulate affordable housing as a PUD component through development agreements or in exchange for density bonuses. This can be particularly helpful for growing, expensive housing markets and for ensuring that affordable housing is developed as a part of new dense and diverse development. Primarily these zones are seen on a Planned Unit Development:
Subdivision Design and Planning PD 957 or otherwise known as The Subdivision and Condominium Law of the Philippines mandates and governs the design, allocation and ordinances on developing a subdivision. Planning Considerations 1. Area Planning Planning and designing of subdivision shall take into account the following: a. Safety and general welfare of the future occupants; b. Adequate, safe, efficient and integrative road circulation system servicing every lot herein. c. Judicious allocation of land uses for diversity and amenity d. Preservation of site e. Proper siting or orientation of lots f. Harmony with existing and proposed development in the vicinity g. Application of workable design principles or parameters for a well planned and self sustaining environment. When a developer or planer submits a Planned Unit Development (PUD) type project, the layout shall likewise conform to the standards for residential/condominium projects. a. Open spaces Open spaces shall conform to the provisions of PD 1216 and its implementing rules and regulations and shall include the following: a.1 Streets adequate and safe means of vehicular and pedestrian circulations and easements for utilities and planting strips shall be provided. a.2 Walks paved walks shall be provided to the living units from streets, parking spaces and from living units to play areas.
a.3 Parks and playground suitable recreational area(s) shall be allocated with the subdivision. Where applicable a hierarchy of such recreational areas may be provided for, such that, a strategically located main park area is supplemented or complemented by one or smaller pockets or areas for recreational use.
THE RADBURN IDEA The Radburn plan developed by Clarence Stein and Henry Wright serves as the prototype of community planning. It was inspired by Sir Ebenezer Howards Garden City and became one of the most influential models in urban planning. The concept of the Radburn plan concentrated on building a community where harmony in private and open spaces exists.
A. SUPERBLOCK It is a grid of roads forming a large block of land with the inner part to be used generally by the residents and pedestrians while the outer portion forms the basic road networks use by motorized vehicles where the traffic circulates. Through the application of this concept, housing developments were able to improve the separation of pedestrian and vehicular circulation reducing accident risk within the community. Since a superblock is larger than the normal city block, it provides greater setbacks for buildings and eliminates the use of back alley.
Figure 7 The Radburn plan showing the cul-de-sacs in a superblock around the central park. The Time Savers Standards for Urban Planning
B. SPECIALIZED HIGHWAY SYSTEM Specialized roads planned and built for one used instead of for all uses. Roads are being use according to their functions and capacities. This provides access to land uses while maintaining roadway safety and ensuring traffic flows.
Figure 8 Hierarchy of Roads (left). Diagram showing the street network structure of Radburn (right).
C. COMPLETE SEPARATION OF VEHICULAR AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC Separation of pedestrian and vehicular traffic was made possible through the superblock. The provision of cul-de-sac or dead end road being surrounded by houses used to calm the traffic flow. This also provides walkways, pedestrian overpass and underpass to different places from the roads.
The houses being reversed so that the living and sleeping sections face toward the garden and park areas, while the kitchen and service rooms face the access road.
Figure 10 Site and house layout. Clarence Stein and Henry Wright, Planners
E. PARK AS BACKBONE OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD Parks in the superblocks and open spaces with recreational facilities in the community linked by pedestrian paths saves the construction of roads and making it a walkable community.
Themed subdivisions are now in a trend in our countries, developers nowadays also takes into consideration a social friendly subdivisions by putting up spaces or parks for social gatherings.
Condominium and Mixed- Use Development Design and Planning A study conducted by the United Nations predicted that much of the worlds population would be living in cities in the near future. An appropriate solution is to build vertically; hence, utilizing and maximizing the potential of urban lands and real estate values. Residential Condominium Developments plays a big role in skyscraper industry, as these developments have the most number of entries in the list of skyscrapers in our country. Sometimes, they were the catalyst in new building construction technologies as they need intensive construction execution. As per PD 957; the following must be considered in planning and designing a Condominium Developments:
Planning Consideration 1. Area Planning a. Supplementary and supportive activities to residential use shall be allowed provided that the privacy, order, health and safety of the residents are not jeopardized nor threatened and that the land use plan and/or zoning ordinance of the locality can accommodate such mixture of land uses. b. Open spaces shall be provided within the project site pursuant to the National Building Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. These shall include courts, yards, setbacks, light wells, uncovered driveways, and access roads, parking spaces, buffer strips, parks and playgrounds. Except as may hereafter be otherwise provided these spaces shall be open from the ground to sky. The open space shall also be allocated for basic and community facilities or common areas. c. Easements for utilities, such as drainage system, water supply, power lines and communication lines, shall be integrated with land circulation system. d. Building orientation on lot shall take into account proper ventilation, sunlight and land characteristics.
e. No development shall be allowed within the 5-meter mandatory easement on both sides of the Marikina Valley Fault Trace and such other fault traces as may be identified by PHIVOLCS. (Approved per Board Res. No. 515, Series of 1992).
Design Parameters 1. Floor Area Requirements a. Single-Occupancy Unit Single occupancy units shall have a minimum floor area of 18 square meters, however, a net floor area of 12 square meters may be allowed provided that: a.1. These are intended for students/employees/workers and provided further that the condominium project to which these will be integrated is within highly urbanized areas. a.2. The same shall be provided with common basic facilities such as laundry/drying area and support amenities such as visitors lounge and dining area. a.3. Said facilities/support amenities including all other measures that will ensure compliance with the intended use of the unit shall be explicitly indicated in the master deed/ contract to sell. b. Family Dwelling Unit The minimum floor area of family condominium units shall be 36 square meters and 22 square meters for open market and medium cost condominium project respectively. Most of condominium developments boasts their amenities such as Olympic size pool, gym, day care centre, massage spa, home theatre, sky lounge etc. amenities however depends on the market the developer wants to cater.
The design of office buildings is changing fast. How workplaces are used was altered by technology, globalisation, and demographics. Office building must now be adaptable over time, flexible in use, easy to maintain, accessibly located and ecologically sound. Office buildings must also provide users with an effective and enjoyable environment, and financiers with a solid return. Types of Office Layouts 1. Cellular A cellular office is an office which has fixed walls and a door where a person would normally work on their own. It is usually furnished with traditional furniture like a desk and chair. One or 2 people work in a cellular office and leave their working material there because they use the same office every day.
Figure 14 Cellular Office (geocities.ws)
Advantages of Cellular Office Layouts Easier to restrict access to equipment or confidential information. Fewer distractions to workers/interruptions by other employees. Confidential meetings can be held Rooms can be personalised to suit employees working in the room or type of work being undertaken Employees can adjust heating, lighting, ventilation, etc to suit themselves Noisy office equipment can be placed in a separate room Infections and illnesses are less easily spread through the organisation Disadvantages of Cellular Office Layouts It is more difficult for a manager to supervise employees who are in a number of separate rooms.
Communication may be less efficient Time may be wasted in passing information and work from one room to another Equipment costs are very high. Staff may feel isolated from other employees. Individual rooms cost more to equip and redecorate; walls, doors and windows take up valuable (and expensive) space It may not be easy to increase or decrease size of work areas to match changes in the volume of work It is more difficult to create a relaxed and friendly atmosphere as line managers are likely to be in separate rooms It is more difficult to introduce and maintain standard procedures
2. Open Plan/Flexible A large area where many employees work together. Advantages of Open Plan Line managers should find it easier to supervise It should be easier to organise meetings of groups of employees Less time should be wasted in passing information and work from one group of employees to another Employees are likely to have a better understanding of how their area of work fits into the overall work of the organisation Less space is wasted with fewer walls and doors; lighting, heating and cleaning should be less expensive and easier to organise Figure 15 Open Plan Office Layout The size of work areas can be increased or decreased to match changes in the volume of work A more relaxed and friendly atmosphere can be created with employees and line managers working in the same area should lead to increased cooperation across sections of the organisation Equipment, eg photocopiers, fax machines and scanner, can be more easily shared
Disadvantages of Open Plan Employees may find it difficult to concentrate on their work because of background noise Employees may be distracted or have their work interrupted by other employees or by through-traffic It may be more difficult to restrict access by unauthorized staff to equipment or confidential information (see: There are likely to be fewer suitable areas for holding confidential or important meetings Infections and illnesses can be more easily spread amongst employees Likely to be less wall space for departmental information (charts, tables, pictures, etc) Private offices may still be required for senior staff Standard lighting, heating and ventilation may not suit all activities or all employees
The layout chosen by an organisation will depend upon: The size of the organisation the number of employees Whether the organisation is expanding or contracting The type of work undertaken by the organisation The accommodation available to the organisation The financial resources available to the organisation
The layout chosen should: Be adaptable to meet changes in the type of volume of work Provide sufficient work and storage space Take account of the flow of work time taken to pass information from one section to another should be kept to a minimum Allow employees to move about easily passageways should be wide and free from obstruction Be economical to maintain, ie to decorate, keep clean and heat Provide easy access to services, eg power points and phone sockets Provide easy access to equipment, eg filing cabinets, photocopiers, printers and fax machines Provide security for equipment and information
Primary Spaces Spaces for solitary work include: Workstations: basic configuration of work surface, chair, storage and equipment, possibly with some screening. Carrel: screened area, containing single or multiple workstations. Personal offices: fully enclosed spaces, usually with a door, for one or more people. Cell: non-dedicated, fully enclosed space for quiet or confidential working. Spaces for collective work include: Team rooms: enclosed spaces for long-term team-working, which clients may also use. Team spaces: areas for teams; often changing configuration frequently. Group spaces: dedicated family space for groups of people who may, or may not, work as teams. Meeting points: extended workstations to allow for informal meetings. Meeting areas: open spaces with formal or informal meetings furniture. Meeting rooms: enclosed spaces with formal or informal meetings furniture, plus special facilities such as electronic whiteboards, and audio-visual or video-conferencing equipment. Ancillary Space Spaces which support departments or floors of an office - involving refreshment, paper handling and personal care - include: Paper processing centres: areas, often screened or enclosed, containing copiers, printers, faxes, binders, shredders and stationery storage. Filing centres: group, team or general filing and reference material, positioned in cabinets, cupboards or high-concentration systems. Refreshment points: tea kitchens or vending areas. Toilets: including showers, and enough flexibility to allow varying ratios of male to female staff, and also increased staff density. Service Space Service space includes: Mail room: business processes will dictate layout and size.
Serveries, kitchens and ancillary areas: dictated by functional needs, available space and service provision. Staff rooms: toilets, showers, changing rooms and sitting spaces for catering, maintenance and visiting staff. Storage: for furniture, office supplies, cleaning equipment, and maintenance supplies; and secure storage for office equipment. Service storage: for deliveries, and for waste that may be separated into clean, dirty, recycling, and compacted. Plant rooms: a main plant room and a patch or control room to each floor or area. Security rooms: housing CCTV monitors and workstations for security staff.
Circulation space Circulation space - which covers both primary and secondary circulation routes - includes: Corridors and passages: enclosed or open routes through the building, providing clear direction and the opportunity to interact. Lifts, lift lobbies and staircases: position and design again encourages interaction. Escalators: their capacity provides an excellent means of moving people quickly and visibly between levels. Refuges: a well protected safe area for temporary use by those with special needs. Delivery areas and goods lifts: positioned for easy access to all parts of the building.
PARKING The effective control of parking and appropriate provision of parking facilities is required to maximize safety and to limit impacts on traffic flow. 1. Vehicle Sizes Car sizes vary but a typical size is used for design of parking spaces, roadways and junctions. Similar standard information is used for other vehicle types.
2. Parking Configurations 1.80 x 4.60 m to 2.50 x 6.00m is the typical dimensions of vehicle parking spaces in parking bays, however it is lightly longer than parallel parking. In open-air parking or where a high proportion of larger cars and vans, an increase in bay size is usually adopted. As seen in figure 16, though 90 parking is more economical in space requirements (20 22 m2 per car); 45 parking (23 26 m2 per car) can be more convenient.
Vehicle parking spaces for people with disabilities should be wider: for semi ambulant persons bay widths should be increased to 2.89 m; for wheelchair users to 3.00 m. within larger and multi storey car parks, both 90 and angled bays are used depending on overall widths available and lane patterns.
4. 3 Car Park Design 4.3.1 External or Single level Parking Single- storey open car parks can be required for both private and public use: for example, parking courts to residential flats developments, adjacent factories and offices, town centre parking, tourist sites, supermarkets and multiplex cinemas. Large open plan parking areas often need to be broken down in scale by incorporating: Variety in surfaces coloured bricks, tarmacs, brushed concretes and grassblocks. Screening or separation to delineate areas and help locate vehicles level changes, signing, fencing and planting. Use of landscaping to soften hard expanses individual trees between parking bays, low level planting beds between back-toback parking, at ends of run and adjacent pedestrian routes. Location Parking arrangements should be clear and organised, using road markings, and signs, preferably with one-way systems. Keep dead ends as short as possible so that the driver can view vacant spaces. Consider the passing of vehicles while waiting for another to reverse and depart. Larger car parks may adopt a centralised route (maybe two-way), with choice of one-way loops leading off. Long-stay car parks (e.g. for commuters) can have longer parking aisles and slightly narrower parking stalls (2.3m), compared with short stay/rapid turnover (2.5m).
REFERENCES: Books:
Presidential Decree 957 Subdivision and Condominium Law of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations Department of Public Works and Highways, Highway Safety Design Standards: Road Safety Design Manual. Manila, 2011. Pickard, Quentin, The Architects Handbook. 13th ed. Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell Science Ltd., 2003. Online:
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/65774/a-century-old-challenge--the-oil-depots-inpandacan; (Retrieved January 13, 2014) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rockwell_Center; (Retrieved January 13, 2014) http://www.fbdcorp.com/history/; (Retrieved January 13, 2014) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bonifacio_Global_City; (Retrieved January 13, 2014)