ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN 8: DESIGN OF COMPLEX STRUCTURES

Design Brief: Design exercises giving emphasis to process and development of building structures, utilities, laws,
structural concepts and ecological planning.

Focus:
● The Advent of Intelligent Buildings, Advanced Technology and its effect on Human Behaviour
● Complex Structures with design considerations including Utilities, Ecological and other Site considerations

Redevelopment or The New Manila City Jail

Background of the Problem

Jails have operated as a fundamental component of the local criminal justice system in countries since its
establishment. Jails are places that confine people accused of crimes and awaiting trial or convicted crimes. Despite
the major purposes in retribution, incapacitation, deterrence, and rehabilitation to prisoners and society. Jails also
come across various adversities.

Overcrowding is a consequence of the existing criminal justice policy and not just the increase of crime rates and
because of that, it undermines the ability of jail systems to meet basic human needs, such as healthcare, food, and
accommodation. Particularly, in the Manila City Jail, its ideal capacity should be around 1,100 inmates overall, but
based on the 2021 data from the BJMP, there are a total of 4,156 PDL in the Manila City Jail which compasses 3,384
males and 775 females.

If jails have more humane conditions in the heart of the holding facilities, major reforms in the criminal justice system
could take place that would give jail inmates a chance at rehabilitation and meaningful life after imprisonment. At
present, most jails are poorly maintained and deprived of necessary health care facilities as well as work program
facilities. Proper visitation facilities are also not available for the inmates. These facilities are essential to programs to
safely contain the prisoners and detainees

High rates of jail overcrowding can be found in all regions of the world. In many jail systems, detainees do not have
the minimum space requirements recommended by international standards, and in some cases spend up to 23 hours
of the day, if not all day, in overcrowded cells. Increasing overcrowding can be so severe that inmates sleep in shifts,
on top of each other, share beds, or tie themselves to window bars so that they can sleep while standing. The
population in the Manila City Jail is 277 percent high from its ideal capacity including pre-trial cases.

Living conditions in jails are among the chief factors determining one’s self-esteem and dignity. People detained
inhumane detention conditions will be more willing and able to respond to rehabilitative programs. Those who
experience punitive conditions and mistreatment on the other hand are likely to return to society psychologically
shattered and in a poor or worse state of physical and mental health than when they entered.

Overcrowded jails are also likely to have poor sanitary conditions that can facilitate the transmission of communicable
diseases and insufficient food provision.

The lack of land spaces is also part of the urban struggles in Manila. For future expansions and projects that require
a large number of spaces, the availability for it is minimized to all. Manila is presently the country's second most
populous city, with a 2018 population of 13.4 million and an informal estimated count of 3 million. Not surprisingly,
about 22% of Metro Manila’s households are informal settlers, according to a 2018 Philippine Statistics Authority.
Project goal and objectives:

● To improve the living conditions of inmates in accordance with the accepted standards set by the United
Nations;
● To enhance the safekeeping and development of inmates in preparation for their eventual reintegration into
the mainstream of society upon their release; and
● To professionalize jail services.

The following principles shall be observed:

● Humane treatment of inmates;
● Observance of professionalization in the performance of duties.
● Strengthened multi-sectoral approach in the safekeeping and development of inmates through active
partnership with other members of the criminal justice system and advocates in corrections.

Basic Component of a Jail Facility for All Type of Jails

For a jail to function properly basic structures are needed:

● Administration Building
● Jail Building
● Primary and secondary fences
● Kitchen
● Yard for Sunning Area and Sports/Recreational Facility
● Sanitary installations for maintaining personal hygiene: toilets, showers and laundry facilities
● Infirmary with separation rooms for mentally ill inmates and communicable diseases
● Multi-purpose building (TC programs, livelihood program, visiting area, etc)
● Elevated water tank
● Adequate drainage
● Garbage collection facility

To gain an overall idea of whether the detainees’ quarters in a jail are adequate, two parameters are considered:
capacity and occupancy rate. The capacity of a jail is the total number of detainees that it can accommodate while
respecting minimum requirements, specified beforehand, in terms of floor space per inmate or group of inmates.

The ability of the jail’s various services to meet the needs of all the detainees under their responsibility must also be
taken into account. When the jail is built, individual or collective floor space is determined according to standards set
by the BJMP administration.

The occupancy rate, also known as the population density in the jail, is determined by calculating the ratio of the
number of detainees present at date “t” to the ideal capacity of the jail.

When the ratio obtained exceeds 100, the situation is overcrowded, if the figure is lower than 100, the jail is not
congested.
Project Site

The designer/student shall study if the existing site is still feasible for redevelopment or find a new location to meet
the project needs and make the project functional and architecturally sound. The research component, which is an
integral aspect of design, should enhance the student’s capacity to learn through direct dissemination of information.
The site should cater the needs based on the projected demand analysis.
Site Selection
The site for a jail should consider the following criteria:
● Sufficient area for jail building, roads, parking and jail amenities
● Proximity and access to major highways, court and friendly forces
● Availability of water supply and other utilities
● Availability of drainage facilities and waste disposal system
● Overall site development cost
● Adequate open space for future expansion
● Risk to climate hazards (floods, landslides, etc.)

Design Requirements:
The designer/student shall be made responsible in providing the necessary spaces to make the project functional
and architecturally sound. The research component, which is an integral aspect of design, should enhance the
student’s capacity to learn through direct dissemination of information. The project shall include the following but not
limited to:

Administration
Warden’s Office
Staff Office
Staff Quarters
Office Supply Storage Area
Armory
Conference Room
Staff Training Room
Staff Lounge
Fitness Room
Parking Lot
Motor pool

Command Control
Management Office
Office Lounge
Command Control
Sally Port

Commitment
Holding Cell
Processing Area
Diagnostic Room
Body-search
Photographic booth.
Orientation Room
Post Holding Cell
PCCU (PDL Classification Counseling Unit)
Quarantine Room
Health Services
Patient Reception Area
Consultation Room
Nurse Station
Health Staff Office
Dental Office
Maternal/Pre-natal Care Area
Equipment Area
Pharmacy
Isolation Cells for TB and MDR-TB
Isolation Cells for Other Infectious Diseases –
Sputum Collection Area
Patients’ Ward
Laboratory
Medical Imaging
Temporary Observation Ward

Visitation
Visitors Holding Area
Visitors Processing Area
Searching Area for Visitors
Strip-searching Area -
Visitors Area for Contact Visit
Visitors Area for Official Visit
Commissary
Teleconferencing Room (e-Dalaw)
Conjugal Visit Room
Visitors Area for Non-Contact Visit

Accommodation
Group Cells
Single & Double Cell Toilet and Bath
Segregated Cell
Recreation Area
Officer Station
Emergency Evacuation Room

Population of Crime Committed in the Manila City Jail, Santa Cruz, Manila City Male Dorm
from 2011 to 2020
Manila City Jail – Male Dorm

Manila City – Male Dorm

Year PDL Population Committed Released
2011 3,895 3155 2919
2012 3,338 3155 3717
2013 2,955 3131 3509
2014 2,905 3775 3825
2015 3,381 4698 4222
 2016 4,063 5513 4831
2017 5,697 6795 5161
2018 5,831 8003 7869
2019 5,192 7615 8192
2020 2,747 2291 4736

Population of Crime Committed in the Manila City Jail, Santa Cruz, Manila City Female Dorm -
from 2011 to 2020 Manila City Jail –Female Dorm

Manila City – Female Dorm

Year PDL Population Committed Released
2011 765 492 422
2012 623 413 553
2013 495 364 492
2014 479 509 525
2015 559 663 583
2016 905 944 598
2017 1,415 1,289 783
2018 1,265 1,416 1,483
2019 1,119 1,415 1,514
2020 630 544 1,132

Showing the minimal resolved cases every year in the Manila City Jail. At that time of 2019, the Manila City Jail was
housing 6,300 inmates, 90% of whom were pretrial detainees based on an article investigated by Al Jareeza on what
life is like inside one of the world’s most congested jails.

Research Days

It is suggested during research days that students go on fieldwork and gather information pertaining to jail
developments. Gather information regarding programs and services. Information gathered would enable students to
have a viable comparison of similar development.

Also, research on the following:

● Building regulations of the selected site
● Building guidelines and regulations for jail facilities
● New ideas in architectural design for jail facilities: (green solutions, sustainable solutions, new construction
techniques, new materials, smart building technology,, project development, others.

Drawing Requirements:

❖ Research Work: Conceptual Analysis showing the evolution of forms and shapes, injecting personal concept
and philosophy. Conceptual Analysis should also show the necessary development of spaces, user behavior
analysis, space program, matrix diagram, traffic analysis, diagrammatic flow patterns, site analysis,
orientation considerations: views, wind, solar angles,etc. Environmental impact analysis, schematic
solutions, sketches, and other planning analysis if needed.
Research should also include aspects on the emphasis on heating, cooling systems, elevators systems, and
water distributions systems, fire prevention equipment and others necessary for the successful design of jail
facilities (A-4 Spiral Bound)
 Conceptual Analysis/Board: - Contains necessary descriptions and diagrams

Master Plan: - Showing the relationship of the whole development to each

other, to the surrounding developments and to the
environment. (Any convenient scale)

Plans: - All plans/ plans on site (with complete furniture layout and
proper annotations and dimensions). Minimum of 1:200.

Elevations: - All elevations (with proper annotations of materials and

finishes, vertical dimensions, fully rendered with shades and
shadows, etc. Similar scale with floor plan.

Sections: - 1 Sections of each building (with proper annotations of

materials and finishes, vertical dimensions, etc.

Perspectives: - Aerial Perspective/s (showing the whole site and the

environment)
- Exterior Perspectives (Man’s Eye View)
- Interior Perspectives (Min of 2 )
- Spot Perspective/s

NOTE: INCOMPLETE DRAWING REQUIREMENTS WILL BE EQUIVALENT TO 40% AS FINAL GRADE FOR THE
MAJOR PLATE.

Activity: Group Work (max of 3 student per group)

Medium: Manual or Presentation (20” x 30”)

Commencement: 02 March 2023 (Thursday)

Due: 13 April 2023 (Thursday)