College of Architecture and Fine Arts
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Item A gated community guide for the "new normal": A post covid study of Goldridge Estate, Bulacan, Philippines(2021-09) Vargas, Paul Nicole L.The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic limited people within their homes' confines, disrupting accustomed activities and routines as affected nations enforce policies to limit interactions (i.e., Iockdown and social distancing measures) to curb the virus transmission. These restrictions changed how people live, work, and spend leisure time, prompting designers, developers, planners, and decision-makers to reconsider community planning and design. Therefore, the "new normal" concept emerges, highlighting the significance of resiliency in adapting and recovering from stressful situations brought by the pandemic. The study aims to assess the impact of the pandemic and determine strategies and practices to help the gated community of Goldridge Estate in Bulacan, Philippines, adapt and recover with the new normal. As a response to the new normal," the study aims to determine the capacity of and eventually direct Goldridge Estate towards resilience. An online survey questionnaire participated by 105 residents aging 13 years old and above established information on the impact of the pandemic on their daily lives. Subsequently, the information provided baseline data to create a comparative analysis of their pre-and post-pandemic conditions. The survey questionnaire also obtained recommendations from residents on preferred community facilities to respond to the decongestion of commercial, institutional, and recreational spaces. Furthermore, interviews with the administrative personnel of the gated community provided an overview of the crisis management and protocols enforced as a response to residents getting infected by the virus, which strengthened residents' recommendations. Lastly, the study aims to review current planning guidelines and prescribe necessary changes in response to integrating public health in the design and plan of gated communities. With the enforcement of lockdowns and social distancing measures, residents were limited to the confines of their homes, causing decreased grocery trips, physical activities (limited use of courts and swimming pool), and social gatherings (e.g., religious gatherings). Furthermore, the congestion of healthcare facilities in the municipality prompted residents with mild symptoms of the virus to be quarantined in their homes. These scenarios instigated recommendations from participating residents to consider providing a community supermarket and health clinic. In light of the study's findings, facilities where the basic need for food and public health service can be located, are essential when planning resilient gated communities. A community supermarket may minimize the risk of virus transmission as a more controlled population can utilize the space. Furthermore, with COVID-19 cases increasing throughout the country, the need for more dispersed healthcare facilities to accommodate isolation areas for people infected becomes necessary. Thus, a community health clinic may provide ample isolation areas for residents who are manifesting mild symptoms. This facility may help ease decongestion in hospitals and designated isolation facilities. To address the decline of physical activities and probable adverse effects of long-term isolation, ensuring ample open spaces that may cater to activities following social-distancing rules is necessary. Residents may utilize sidewalks and existing community facilities to commence individual exercises like running, cycling, and walking. Hence, proper and efficient allocation of open areas is essential to allow safe exercise and socialization among residents. As private gated community planning and design depends on the discretion of private developers, the study recommends a thorough review of laws governing subdivision planning. The pandemic shifted prioritization towards open and communal spaces, which are considered as non-saleable areas in planning. The new normal or post-pandemic era demands ample and efficient community facilities and sites that provide residents with basic needs and services within walkable distances and safe spaces to accommodate recreational pursuits. Further research may focus on the quantified proportion of open space allocation per person or household for community dwellings.