'RIDING SOLO FOR AN ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION | TALA CIVIC CENTER : SORA SEED 2019
Updated: Mar 1, 2020
UAP TANDANG SORA CHAPTER held a competition entitled SORA SEED (Search For Emerging Exceptional Design) 2019 : Activating Community Involvement Through Architecture, an Architectural Competition for a Proposed Civic Center located at Brgy. Tala (Malaria) Caloocan City.
It was recently concluded last February 29,2020 and Ar. Gianne Borlongan was awarded as ONE OF THE TOP 4 FINALISTS in the Professional Category and the only solo participant (from the top 4) of the said competition. Placing was not announced besides the winner, yet, he was awarded before the winner, so technically a SECOND PLACER? (hahaha) maybe? but nevertheless it was a great experience!
Joining an Architectural Competition is an opportunity to express oneself through Design. Design that should consider users' experience, adapt on trends, and make a mere solution to the problem.
Deciding to be a Solo Participant in the SORA SEED 2019 (Search For Emerging Exceptional Design) in the Professional Category, is a challenge for his capacity as an Architect. Being a ONE MAN TEAM for a competition is a risk, but he thought it could be a chance for self development and to express himself through Design.
The goal is to only join a competition and submit an entry in SOLO, but being a FINALIST is a blessing!
Walkthrough video for TALA CIVIC CENTER
Yesss, as a ONE MAN TEAM. (hahaha) Submitting his entry completely on-time (10 minutes before the deadline) is an acheivement! but he never expected the results because especially now it's in a professional category. His real goal was to join a competition in solo! and would like to prove to himself 'how to roll' again, just like in college (University of Santo Tomas) on Design Plates and College Architectural Design Competitions. Being a Finalist? with all the Architects who joined the competition within the nation, it's a blessing! and for him he would definitely do it again for the purpose of self development (haha) it made him challenge his own capacity to think! to be more out-of-the-box! to think Architecturally, Designing for the user's experience.
EVERYTHING WAS IN A RUSH!
He registered in the competition on the LAST DAY, LAST MINUTE OF THE REGISTRATION! Take note: LAST of the EXTENDED REGISTRATION haha because he is in doubt of his capacity to do it in SOLO! pero bahala na! he pushed Forward! (haha)
He was really Thankful for the EXTENSION because he didnt have any thing to submit back then, he registered on the LAST DAY of the EXTENDED Registration and have only 2 weeks to prepare for his Entry and He only have himself as a one-man team to do everything! (haha) But then again, he started the conceptualization of the Proposed Civic Center 3 days before the Extended submission, because of time restrictions and work :(( thankfully, he submitted finally at exactly 11:50PM of DECEMBER 11 (Extended Date) Registered LAST MINUTE and Submitted it on the LAST MINUTES of the EXTENDED DEADLINE (hahaha)
He was Literally RUSHING back and forth on 2 Computers!
Results came and he got an email to be one of the finalists! They were required to do a Walkthrough video and as usual he did everything (powerpoint presentation, re-rendering, walkthrough video) still on the last minute, because of work, with NO SLEEP before the Deliberation!!!
The Judges loved the strategy to make it a community-based civic center where produce are made by the residents, and for the residents through URBAN AGRICULTURE. Hitting two birds with one stone, as Caloocan City is the 4th most populous city in the Metro with the prevalence of MALNUTRITION, his TALA CIVIC CENTER tackles the need for healthier options in the urban and also in-line with the Comprehensive Development Plan of Caloocan City, "To train Urban Farmers and Start Urban Agriculture." and at the same time a place for Public Space and Public Service.
Judges were glad to see the presentation and that Ar. Gianne Borlongan did everything and presented as a SOLO PARTICIPANT, and he was really humbled by all their commendations, ALL THE HARDWORKS AND SLEEPLESS RUSH NIGHTS PAID OFF! (hahaha)
TALA CIVIC CENTER
An Interweaving of Public Space and Public Service which Activates Community Involvement and Produce Necessities for a Living
EVOLUTION OF FORMS
Here are some of the Perspectives for the Design entry by Ar. Gianne Borlongan
Interweaving a structure to --“BUKLOD” people and the environment, people and opportunities,people and public service, leaving a trance of the battle cry of Caloocan “TAO ANG UNA” (People First Policy)
LESSON LEARNED: Maximize your Free time! :)) Be Productive, don't do things in a RUSH! You can do better! but it could be a training for the future, especially for Fast-paced Projects