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Millennium School Competition
In many Philippine schools, the building shortfall is so acute that up to 100 students make up each class, and classes are often held in three shifts. The dropout rate is rising, especially for boys. Because of inferior learning conditions and teaching methods, nearly a third of pupils fail qualifying tests in the key subjects -- English, mathematics and science. The World Bank report on Philippine education, entitled "Improving the Quality of Basic Education," states that "inputs into the education system have been either of poor quality, insufficient in amount, or not in the right mix." This is the time to respond to the education crisis. The difficulties that developing countries face in educational development are leaving many in an untenable position, rendering them paralyzed and unable to keep up with a global economy.
A competition celebrating the spirit of the first one thirty one years ago, would similarly bring involved architects from around the world together in a collective effort to try to find solutions to the problems of school buildings in the developing world. Although the problems cannot be solved completely by an “architectural solution”, this Competition will offer a venue for the practice of architecture for a client group that would otherwise have no access to the professionals that can provide a physical solution to their problems. This Competition and the subsequent construction of the prototypical winning design will greatly encourage improvements to the current resource of ideas in school building design. The Competition idea is based on the premise that the only hope for the problem of providing optimal educational facilities is through igniting unconventional methods to address the growing problem. Soliciting entries from designers all over the world will place a unique educational structure in the Philippines. This will redefine what is acceptable in the 21st Century for all students, especially the most needy. For countries like the Philippines, the first step towards sustainable development has to be providing school facilities where children learn more easily, enjoyably, safely, and successfully.
In the face of global climate change and increasing population, many of the countries' communities are constantly faced with deadly natural disasters. With the numerous calamities that have taken toll since year 2000, disaster managers and the different government agencies have their hands full and their sights focused on rehabilitation of previously devastated communities. Billions of pesos have been poured in by government for rehabilitation and reconstruction. But with the certainty of another natural disaster to hit the same areas, it is highly probable that same structures will be damaged again in the future. This vicious cycle has been around for decades and a lot of government resources have been wasted. It is about time that the country breaks the vicious cycle of destruction-death-rehabilitation-destruction and start being better and building better.
The National Disaster Coordinating Council, together with My Shelter Foundation, the United Architects of the Philippines, and the Private Sector Disaster Management Network and the Philippine Green Building Council have taken the lead to launch the "Be Better, Build Better Program". This program envisions innovating how to make our school buildings safe, conducive to learning and come up with technological solutions to improve the quality and standards of how these structures are built. To break the vicious cycle of destruction-death-rehabilitation-destruction, the Millennium School Design Competition is launched to provide learning-conducive, disaster-resilient and environmentally sustainable school buildings.
The United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) Committee on
Competitions is pleased to announce
the winners of the recently
concluded Millennium Schools Design Competition. Judging was held
today, April 10, 2008 at the UAP
headquarters in Quezon City and
First Place - Eleena Jamil ( Malaysia
)
Sponsors
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History of the Competition The 'United Nations Conference on Human Settlements' held in Vancouver, Canada in 1976 and the parallel Manila-Tondo Foreshore International Architectural Competition was a catalyst in addressing the needs of a previously ignored clientele, the informal or squatter sector. The conference led to the establishment of UN Habitat, dedicated to human settlement development, and new approaches to housing were initiated. The Manila-Tondo Foreshore project was a first attempt to tackle some of the major problems facing metropolitan Manila and other urban environments in developing countries. It was envisioned to create a paradigm shift toward recognizing that upgrading the standards of living of those below the subsistence level in Manila and in other fast growing urban areas was a better solution than just physically removing slum areas. The Manila-Tondo Foreshore International Architectural Competition challenged the world to come up with new ways of approaching community, housing, and income issues of low-income families. Over 3,000 architects registered from approximately 68 countries, and about 500 formal entries were received. Winners were awarded substantial prize money and their designs were planned for implementation in Manila. This year is the 31st anniversary of the Manila-Tondo Foreshore International Architectural Competition. In conjunction with this, a new challenge is put forward: the first ever Millennium School: Design Competition for School Buildings in Developing Countries to address the new problems we face in today’s world of shrinking faculties, limited budgets, growing populations and worsening weather conditions. We face them armed with the hope brought by innovations in materials, design, and sustainable construction.
Project Partners Philippine Green Building Council (PhilGBC)
The Council forms an alliance of building and construction industry leaders from both the public and private sectors. As a national not-for-profit organization that endeavors to promote the sharing of knowledge on green building practices that ensures a sustainable environment, the organization assists the Millennium School Competition by promoting its vision to the PhilGBC membership and by providing additional web presence. You may visit the PhilGBC by clicking HERE National Disaster Coordinating Council
My Shelter Foundation
United Architects of the Philippines
As the country's prime professional organization of architects, the UAP is strongly committed to social responsibility and has taken an active role in various socio-civic programs and projects. The UAP aims to be responsive to the needs of its professionals, profession, and professional product while preserving the UAP-IAPOA's larger, enduring role as a vanguard of architecture profession where knowledge and innovation are created, transmitted, and preserved; and to be actively seeking balance in all of these roles, even in the face of the uncertainties and the rapidly changing forces that surround the Filipino architects. In line with its vision and mission, the UAP has taken the lead as project manager of the Millennium Schools Design Competition. Private Sector Disaster Management Network
Redeye
Department of Education
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Millennium School
is a design competition for school buildings in developing
countries located in the tropics. The
A dangerous disease is affecting the developing countries’
lifeline to a healthy development: unchecked and substandard
schooling facilities creating an increasingly disparate future
and unemployable youth. The erosion of this precious commodity
has been detrimental to the many economies and environments that
continue to experience a decline in living standards.
Architecture has
responded before to challenges in a changing world, with positive
results. However, while the shortage and poor design of classrooms
has been acknowledged, it has not been seriously addressed by the
world community. The Millennium Schools Design Competition will
focus the attention of concerned professionals on
educationally-conducive, environmentally sound and
disaster-resistant architecture in developing countries.
Tropical cyclones (typhoons), earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis and floods are constant threats to the Philippines making it one of the most disaster prone countries in the world. According to
the yearend report of the Office of Civil Defense, from January 2004 to June 2005, it registered an average 4,500 deaths, 650 missing persons and fifteen billion pesos worth of direct damages or equivalent to 0.5% of the countries GDP. This does not even take into account the indirect and secondary damages.
Taking the first step, we have identified school buildings in the country as one of the most vulnerable to disasters. Aside from using them as structures for learning, they are also used purposely for evacuation centers. When these structures are damaged, students’ interest to learning is hampered. Their motivation is lost and this contributes to the rise in dropout rates. When these structures are rehabilitated and brought back to its original form and shape, then we can be assured that in the future, the same problem will arise.
The
National
Disaster Coordinating Council is the Philippines’ highest
governing council that oversees the protection of Filipinos
whenever disaster strikes the country. Headed by the Secretary
of National Defense, the NDCC serves as
the President’s adviser on disaster
preparedness programs, disaster operations and rehabilitation
efforts undertaken by the government and the private sector. It
acts as the top coordinator of all disaster management and the
highest allocator of resources in the country to support the
efforts of the lower DCC level. In line with the NDCC's
mandate to make the country disaster resilient, the NDCC sees
the need to address the problem in school buildings whenever
there are disasters. School buildings are one of the most
valuable structures that are usually destroyed after any type of
disaster and yet they are also expected to be used as transient
shelters or evacuation centers. Because of this, the NDCC would
like to develop a disaster resilient school building by
spearheading the "Be Better, Build Better" Program. The NDCC
has partnered with the different government agencies and private
sector groups to make this program a reality. The components of
the "Be Better, Build Better" Program are as follows:
My Shelter Foundation
is a non-stock non-profit organization that aims to create a system of sustainability and replicability through its capability-building and employment generating projects. My Shelter empowers its beneficiaries and uses their energies as the greatest force for their upliftment. My Shelter receives funds from Pier One Urban Dormitory Project for breakthrough research and development to address alternative construction technologies for schools and clinics using indigenous materials as well as appropriate technology dispersal. Among its projects are the 25 Earthen Schools in Surigao, Coral Walls development and the innovative peanut shelllers for peanut farmers and processors. It conceptualized the
The
United Architects of the Philippines is the first and
duly accredited professional organization of architects in the
Philippines. The UAP is in fact the only organization with the
right to represent Filipino architects in the Philippines and
internationally by its membership in several international
organizations such as the International Union of Architects,
ARCASIA, ASEAN Association for Planning and Housing and The
Eastern Regional Organization for Planning and Housing.
The
Private Sector Disaster Management Network is a non-stock,
non-profit organization that consolidates the efforts of its
member organizations before, during and after disasters. It is
a voluntary initiative of the private sector in the campaign for
disaster risk education and rehabilitation. It is composed of
different private corporations, international and local NGO’s,
and other institutions that are willing to be the private arm of
the National Disaster Coordinating Council. It seeks to
facilitate normalcy, recovery and resilience in areas devastated
by disasters. Contributions have been given to build school
buildings in many provinces in the Philippines. However, too
much has been spent rebuilding and repairing school buildings
because they are not built to withstand the typhoons that hit
the Philippines every year. The PSDMN therefore supports the Be
Better Build Better Program as the right solution to this
problem. The PSDMN has campaigned for support and
cooperation from the private sector, such as: the League of
Corporate Foundations, Association of Foundations, the Rotary
Clubs, Innerwheel Clubs, Jaycees, Christian Family Movement,
Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement, Citizens' Disaster
Response Center, CARE, ABS-CBN, ABOITIZ, PAL, PETRON, McDONALDS,
PCCI, PCAFI, Sugar Industry Foundation, VILLAR, REACT, My
Shelter, REDEYE, MFI and others. All these and more are already
cooperating and voluntarily supporting.
