I.
GENERAL INFORMATION
This
Paper is prepared as a Reaction to the
Book, The Skycourt and Skygarden:
Greening the Urban Habitat by Jason Pomeroy. In this paper, a reader’s point of
view will be illustrated on how the book that was published as an instructive
material will appear to a Filipino Architect presently studying Planning:
Community Architecture and Urbanism. Some sensitive lines in the book are
quoted in the preceding articles and the current Philippine situations are
cited to have a realistic understanding of its applicability to the Philippines as a
developing country.
The
third part of this Reaction Paper illustrated the theories that Jason Pomeroy
and agreed in principles by the reactor. Most tackles issues on Pomeroy’s
belief that skycourt and skygarden when incorporated in tall buildings will
truly make sense as alternative social spaces necessary in vertical urban
design.
The
fourth part of this Reaction Paper shows statements in the book that may not be
applicable yet to the Philippine urban scenario, still a promising aspect to
consider. Some of these are the advocacies for a new hybrid that may change the
face of public domain when this social
spaces are identified in tall buildings
of the 21st century.
The
last part are recommendations on how this book would be more effective to the
Asean Architects and Readers especially the Filipinos.
II.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Jason Pomeroy, ( 2014) THE SKYCOURT AND SKYGARDEN,
Routledge, 2 Parksquare, Milton Park,
Abingdon, Oxon OX 14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
III.
MAJOR POINTS IN THE BOOK
The book
was written that it will inform,
convince and instruct the reader
while he is directed to the ways on how to achieve the goal. The goal is to
provide alternative social spaces in
tall buildings in the manner that is known as part of vertical urban design. The public realm was
carefully defined and the loss of it was gracefully dramatized to create or
realize the need for alternative social spaces.
In the
historical overview, mentioning the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, built by
Nebuchadnezzar II for his wife Amyitis documented in the 6th century
BC, had blended sentimentality to the definition of Skycourt and Skygarden for
the present. The history shows that human interactions needed a space even
before steel and concrete was discovered. At present, the terms, social density (
interaction between people) and spatial density ( the perception of density
with respect to the relationships among spatial elements) are easily
interpolated with the advent of high-tech skyscrapers.
The author had
fully illustrated how the skycourt and skygarden are now considered as social
space, as a transitional space, as an environmental filter, as an enhancer of
physiological well-being and bio-diversity and as part of the legislated urban
vocabulary.
IV.
VERTICAL URBAN DESIGN THEORY
Jason
Pomeroy has an agreeable statement saying that … “the densification of our
cities has not only spawned the creation of a new hybrid city composed of
mixed-use structures and their social spaces, but also the sustainable
democratization of existing rooftop spaces and their air rights.” The book had
reflected statistics in Hongkong where illegal rooftop structures do not comply
with the planning and control process. This concern is not yet so much a current pressing problem in the Philippines
but the Building Laws and Ordinances should
already layout the safety nets especially in Metro Manila where eventually
rooftops and air space issues will need attention.
Interconnecting
verticality in structures is being gracefully illustrated by Jason Pomeroy’s
explaination of Movement as a social gel. This theory erases our impression of
the highrise buildings as a stackable layer, just simply one on top of the
other, making highrise a monotonous thing to design for many architects even
the Filipinos. Sad to say that recently, a 50 storey tower only has nice floor
plans up to the 5th floor, a nicer floor plan on the 2nd
to the last and the Deck and the ever typical 6th to the “nth floor,
so to speak. The vertical urban theory stated in the book dramatizes the
highrise structures making skycourt and skygardens the ice breaker from the
layers of floors and an icing on top or on the deck.
V.
Applicability of the Readings to the
present Philippine Urbanism
The
book, Skycourt and Skygarden serves as
truly an instructional publication for the Philippines since the urban vertical
construction is not as rapid as other countries in Asia and the Western World. But
thru this, an advance alert is awakening the developing countries.
To
a Filipino Architect’s point of view, the book contains ideas that are still to
be reached and to be prepared for. Hoping the Bonifacio Global City, Makati
Central Business District and other pocket developments like Eastwood, Ortigas
Center and others will reach these High Urbanism, this time with more careful
approach.
The
character of the “public” in the
definition of public realm may differ
from one country to the other due to differences in cultures, thus the solutions of the alternative
social space maybe similar in movement and structure but the details may differ
in each culture. Social graces for Filipinos maybe a little bit
conservative to that of the New Yorkers and more distinct is that of Japan and
others. Urbanism is an unstoppable,
whimsical drama on the surface of the earth which grows up to the skies, and
these is what this book: Skycourt and Skygarden is putting reason and rhythm
to.
As
Filipino Architects, we are thankful for this book and look forward to what is
instructs with thumbs-up!
End
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