Tuesday, September 16, 2008 PPA terminals' designs use Maranao torogan motif
A DRAGON-inspired design has been selected by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) Port District Office-Southern Mindanao for its new passenger terminal building in Davao City, which will be constructed in 2009.
The same design will also be applied for the passenger terminal building in the port of General Santos City.
In a statement issued by the PPA, the design that will be adopted combined both the functionality of the structure with a touch of historical ambiance with interiors attuned to the philosophies of the 21st century.
The water dragon design was made by the Manila-based Basic Technology and Management Corporation (BTMC) with a joint venture with Proconsult Inc. Consulting Engineers (Pice).
Other proposals for the new passenger terminals included a Water Wave, Mindanao House, and a Mindanao Classic. But it was the water dragon design that was approved by the majority of PPA officers, technical staff, engineers, local government officials, and other stakeholders.
The concept of the water dragon-inspired building was drawn by the architects from the Maranao torogan, architect Angeline Chua Chiaco of Pice, explained.
A Maranao torogan, the stately house of Maranao sultans in the olden days, is characterized by ornately carved projections of niaga/naga (serpent/dragon) and pako rabong armalis (assymetrical growing fern).
Aside from its aesthetics, the architects behind the design highlighted that the building is also of low maintenance and is power efficient for its ventilation system using the integrated louvre window system and the assignment/density of the seating arrangements to minimize air conditioning expenses later.
The Davao passenger terminal has a smaller floor area of only 3,740 square meteres, while the one in General Santos measures 4,549.6 square meters.
The new passenger terminal building will be located at the south end of the Sasa Wharf in Davao City while the one in General Santos will be located on the western part of the Makar Wharf. (CPM/With PR)
