Monday, January 15, 2007 Sustainable urban image By Arch’t. Karl A.E.F. Cabilao, UAP
TYPICAL Filipinos clean and jazz up their homes for visitors arriving for a fiesta, so Cebuanos were absorbed in a prolonged (no thanks to the postponement of Summit dates weeks ago) production towards the Asean Summit. And why not? This metro should look its best when Asian neighbors set foot here.
An international convention center, apart from stirring a lot of polemics, stood in mere months. Buildings underwent face-lifts. Street islands were festooned with flowers and ornamentals. Sleek street lamps cropped up on sidewalks. And driving became smoother with the fresh fills of asphalt on what used to be roads riddled with scars and craters.
Thanks the Asean Summit for all these improvements, save for some decorative faux pas, like those pseudo-classical columns with flowerpots on top. You can’t help but wonder, what happens after our visitors leave? Will buildings still look as fresh as they are now? Will the street ornaments still adorn the road islands and street corners?
As a graduate student of the University of San Carlos College of Architecture’s newly offered Graduate School, looking at the makeovers all around us conjure different mental perspectives, so much more that I’m taking up units in Urban Design.
This is a specialization in architecture that deals with the enhancement of the city’s image. We were advised not to confuse it with “urban planning”, which involves several fields and environmental disciplines. This is like designing houses, but on a larger scale. In place of rooms, different portions of a community or city are assigned specific land use. Instead of corridors, streets are laid out in an orderly network. In lieu of living rooms and terraces, parks and other public spaces are conceptualized. Yup, U.D. sets its sights more on the physical component of the urban environment.
We should find it essential to feel a sense of attachment to one’s place. Our immediate physical environment is very instrumental in waking this consciousness up. Until now, we still yearn for ample-sized sidewalks, public open spaces and the eradication of “spaghetti” electrical and telecom wires that crisscross the skyline. “Visual pollution” still renders the city an unpleasant tinge, and often overshadows the swath of decor put up.
So the next time a major international event comes, we do not have to paint roofs, kick out squatters and install large pots along the roadways. No need to press the panic button (this often results to aesthetic disaster). With careful and long-term planning by architects-cum-urban designers coupled with full and sincere support from the government, a more appealing and sustainable city image can still be within our sights.
