ARC 008 – DESIGN OF COMPLEX

UNIVERSITY OF PANGASINAN
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERNG & ARCHITECTURE
STRUCTURES

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

TUESDAY/SATURDAY (9:30-12:00/1:30-7:00)

RESEARCH WORK NO. 1

“DESIGN OF A MIXED-USE CONDOMINIUM

BUILDING”

MERCADO, DARWIN S.

(STUDENT)

AR. CESAR L. AGPOON, UAP, PIA.

(INSTRUCTOR)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE NUMBER

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

DEFINITION………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3

DESIGN GUIDELINES…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..3

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS…………………………………………………………………………………………….9

SAMPLE LOCAL CONDOMINIUMS……………………………………………………………………………………..11

REFERENCES……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..18

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 MIXED-USE CONDOMINIUM BUILDING

INTRODUCTION

With the today’s fast-paced lifestyle, wherein comfort and convenience should come with
functionality and aesthetic charm, mixed-use properties offer a solution. Traditionally, people
have long been benefiting from living in shared spaces. In tightly knit communities, we’ll see
mom-and-pop shops on the first floor of a residential area, a room for rent next door, and a
common area somewhere, like a garden or a patio.

Property developers are more than aware of mixed-use real estate and its advantages. From
environmental sustainability to the integration of work and play, the seamless transition between
residential, commercial, and office-space use allows individuals to grow and improve their
quality of life. The availability of lush, green spaces in a city – right next to a multi-housing
complex and retail establishments – can transform a mixed-use property into a haven built for
the future.

This is one of the many things that a “mixed-use development” can be, because it owns the
capacity to provide more than a single purpose within the confines of a shared space, such as a
building or a plot of land. As a development project, this means that it can be within a single
neighborhood that serves a community through different uses: residential housing, office
spaces, shops and boutiques, medical practice facilities, recreational areas, or commercial and
industrial use.

DEFINITION

A mixed-use community is a development that includes a combination of residential,

commercial, and retail parcels. Mixed-use communities can be vertical or horizontal and can
consist of a single or multiple buildings, as well as outdoor areas. These developments typically
feature retail and commercial space on the ground floor, with residential units above. They tend
to be located in urban areas and are ideal for people who prefer to live, work, and play in the
same space.

DESIGN GUIDELINES

Design Standards and Guidelines for Residential Condominium Projects

A. Site Criteria

Conformity to Comprehensive Land Use Plan/Zoning Ordinance/National Building Code

1. Residential condominium projects shall preferably be located in areas zoned as or

appropriate for residential uses.

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 2. Condominium projects shall likewise conform to the minimum building requirements, lot
occupancy, open spaces, parking and other requirements of the National Building Code of the
Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

B. Planning Consideration

1. Area Planning

a. Supplementary and supportive activities to residential use shall be allowed provided that the
privacy, order, health and safety of the residents are not jeopardized nor threatened and that the
land use plan and/or zoning ordinance of the locality can accommodate such mixture of land
uses.

b. Open spaces shall be provided within the project site pursuant to the National Building Code
of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations. These shall include courts,
yards, setbacks, light wells, uncovered driveways, access roads, parking spaces, buffer strips,
parks and playgrounds. Except as may hereafter be otherwise provided these spaces shall be
open from the ground to the sky. The open space shall also be allocated for basic utilities and
community facilities or common areas.

c. Easements for utilities, such as drainage system, water supply, power lines and
communication lines, shall be integrated with land circulation system.

d. Building orientation on lot shall take into account proper ventilation, sunlight and land
characteristics.

e. No development shall be allowed within the 5-meter mandatory easement on both sides of
the Marikina Valley Fault Trace and such other fault traces as may be identified by PHIVOLCS.
(Approved per Board Res. No. 515, Series of 1992)

2. Site Preservation/Alteration

a. Slope The finished grade shall have a desired slope to allow rainwater to be channeled into
street drains. Where cut and fill is necessary an appropriate grade shall be attained to prevent
any depression in the area. Grading and ditching shall be executed in a manner that will prevent
erosion or flooding of adjoining properties.

b. Preservation of Site Assets Suitable trees with a caliper diameter of 200 millimeters or more,
as well as shrubs and desirable ground cover shall be preserved in accordance with the
implementing rules and regulations of DENR. Where good quality top soil exists in the site, it
shall be banked and shall be preserved for finishing grades of yards, playgrounds, parks and
garden area.

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c. Ground Cover Grass, shrubs, plants and other landscaping materials used for ground cover
shall be of variety appropriate for its intended use and location. They shall be so planted as to
allow complete and permanent cover of the area.

C. Design parameters

1. Space location

Space allocations shall provide areas for living, dining, kitchen, sleeping, toilet and bath,
laundry/ drying area and storage - the minimum sizes of which shall be in accordance with the
requirements of the National Building Code of the Philippines and its Implementing Rules and
Regulations/referral codes.

a. Parks/Playground and/or Other Recreational Areas

a.1 Parks/Playground (exclusive of easements, access roads, driveways, parking space) shall
be required for:

a.1.1 Projects with a gross saleable area of 1.000 square meters: Or

a.1.2 Projects with ten (10) or more condominium units. Except when the condominium is part of
a subdivision project or a park/playground not more than or 800 meters away and in reaching it,
the pedestrian will not be unduly exposed to hazard.

a.2 The minimum area for a single park/playground shall be 50 square meters. Increments of
3.00 square meters for every additional family dwelling type in excess of 10 units shall be
added.

a.3 Parks/playground or other recreational facilities may not be required if the condominium is
located not more than or 800 meters from a publicly accessible park/playground/or other
recreational facilities.

a.4 Parks/playground shall be properly landscaped to accommodate both active and passive
activities.

a.5 Parks/playground may be accommodated in the yard/s provided such yards are adequate
and usable as park.

a.6 Other facilities (optional) such as tennis courts, swimming pool, etc. may be integrated with
the park/playground.

b. Parking Space Requirement

b.1 For Residential Condominium Units

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b.1.1 The parking slot requirement for residential condominium project snail be in accordance
with the provisions of the National Building Code of the Philippines.

b.1.2 Off-site parking may be allowed in addition to the on-site parking provided that the
designated parking area is part of the project and provided further that the required distance
shall be in accordance with the National Building Code of the Philippines.

b.1.3 Compliance with additional parking spaces as required by local ordinances shall be
mandatory.

b.2 For Commercial Condominium Units

b.2.1 The minimum parking slot requirement shall be in accordance with the provisions of the
National Building Code of the Philippines.

b.2.2 Off-site parking may be allowed in addition to the on-site parking provided that the
designated parking area is part of the project or the project is within the commercial subdivision
where common parking area is part of the approved subdivision plan and provided further that
parking arrangements are explicitly indicated in the contract of sale of property to be developed.
Off-site parking shall not be located 200 meters away from condominium project.

c. Access Roads

Roads shall serve every building, parking space, park/playground and service points (e.g.
garbage collection points). Minimum roads or right-of-way shall be 8 meters, 6 meters thereof
shall be the carriageway and the remaining 2 meters shall be developed as sidewalk/planting
strip.

Path walks shall be provided for pedestrian circulation with a minimum width of 1.2 meters.

Construction of roads, sidewalk and path walks, shall be in accordance with the standards of
residential subdivision. Space for turnaround at dead end shall be provided.

Direct vehicular access to the property shall be provided by public street or alley.

An independent means of access shall be provided to each dwelling, or group of dwellings in a

single plot. Without trespassing adjoining properties. Utilities and service facilities- must be
independent for each dwelling unit.

An independent means of access to each living unit shall be provided without passing through
any yard of a living unit or any other yard.

c.1 Hierarchy of Roads For horizontal condominium projects, the hierarchy of roads shall be the
same as the minimum design standard requirements for subdivision projects.

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c.2 Pavement All roads (major, minor, motor court) for both residential and commercial
condominium projects shall be paved with concrete/asphalt.

d. Basic Facilities and Services

d.1 Service Area (Laundry/Drying Area) Adequate laundry and drying areas shall be provided.
Where such service areas are held in common, they shall have suitable outdoor locations,
fenced or screened and kept away from living rooms, entrance or front yards.

d.2 Water supply, power, sewerage and drainage utilities shall conform to the requirements of a
subdivision.

d.2.1 Reservoir/Water Tank

For multi-story buildings

If the height of the building requires water pressure in excess of that in the main water line, a
water tank shall be provided. Tank shall also be required if the peak drawn should reduce the
pressure on the highest usable floor to less than 0.06 Mpa - the minimum pressure required for
satisfactory operation of fixtures, particularly those with flush valves.

d.2.2 Capacity - 20% Average Daily Demand plus fire reserve

d.3 Mechanical Equipment and Service Areas

d.3.1 Provision of elevators shall conform to the plans and specifications of the duly licensed
architect/engineer who shall determine the requirement for elevators including the number of
cars, capacity, safety features and standards, elevator type, speed and location in relation to the
over-all design and use of the building; the design architect/engineer shall certify under oath that
all the components thereof are in accordance with the National Building Code of the Philippines,
the Accessibility Law and national industry standards and other pertinent laws.

d.3.2 Compliance to the provisions of the Fire Code of the Philippines, shall be mandatory

d.4 Refuse Collection/Disposal

Centralized garbage depository area and efficient refuse collection and disposal services shall
be provided whether independently or in conjunction with the city or municipality garbage
collection and disposal services. It shall conform to the provisions of the Sanitation Code of the
Philippines and its Implementing Rules and Regulations/pertinent referral codes.

2. Floor Area Requirements

a. Single-Occupancy Unit

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Single occupancy units shall have a minimum floor area of 18 square meters, however, a net
floor area of 12 square meters may be allowed provided that:

a.1 These are intended for students/employees/workers and provided further that the
condominium project to which these will be integrated is within highly urbanized areas.

a.2 The same shall be provided with common basic facilities such as laundry/drying area and
support amenities such as visitor's lounge and dining area.

a.3 Said facilities/support amenities including all other measures that will ensure compliance
with the intended use of the unit shall be explicitly indicated in the master deed/ contract to sell.

b. Family Dwelling Unit

The minimum floor area of family condominium units shall be 36 square meters and 22 square
meters for open market and medium cost condominium project respectively.

Section 3. Conversion of Existing Structures to Condominium Projects.

Existing structures may be converted into condominium projects upon proper application there
for with the Board and compliance with the requirements of condominium laws and these rules
and standards.

Section 4. Variances

These design standards and requirements may be modified or varied by the Board in cases of
large scale government and private residential subdivision or condominium projects, housing in
areas for priority development or urban land reform zones, resettlement or social housing
projects for low income groups, or housing projects financed by any government financing
institution, or in cases where strict observance hereof will cause extreme hardship to the
subdivision or condominium owner/developer.

1. The location is unique and different from the adjacent locality, and because of its uniqueness,
the owners cannot obtain a reasonable return on the residential subdivision/condominium
projects;

2. The hardship is not self-created;

3. The proposed variance is due to existing permanent structures (concrete/steel) and is

necessary to permit a reasonable use of the residential subdivision/condominium;

4. The variance will not alter the essential character of the location where the residential
subdivision for which the variance is sought, is located, and will not substantially or permanently

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affect the use of the other residential subdivision/condominium in the same locality; particularly
those within a 1 kilometer radius thereof;

5. The variance will not give rise to unauthorized reclassification of the approved residential
subdivision/condominium plan (i.e. whether partial or full alteration of the plan), and will not
adversely affect the public health, safety or general welfare of the community. (Per Commission
Proper Resolution No. R-53, S. 1982)

PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS

1. Allocation of common expenses

The developer determines the allocation of proportionate shares for common expenses when
preparing a condominium declaration. In many cases, the allocation of proportionate shares of
the common expenses does not reflect the actual contemplated usage of the common
elements, or expenses for services. This can lead to some resentment, or ill will, between
residential and commercial owners.

For example: If a commercial unit is a restaurant/bar, the usage of the utilities and services by
this owner (e.g. water, energy for dishwashers, coolers, etc.) will likely be disproportionate to the
usage by the residential owners. If common expenses are allocated by square footage, the
disproportionate usage may not be reflected in the proportionate shares.

Developers utilize various methods for determining the breakdown of proportionate shares, and
it’s important to recognize that there is no legal requirement that the allocation of proportionate
shares be fair. In some cases the developer may not know what type of commercial owner will
be purchasing the unit; therefore, the developer may not be able to consider the impact the
commercial owner’s use will have on common expenses.

While options do exist for the owners who feel that the situation is oppressive, or unfair, to seek
some relief, there is no guarantee that such relief will be available, or easy to achieve. For
example, in order to determine whether an individual unit, or category of units, has excessive
usage it would be necessary to measure the exact usage. To enforce an excessive usage bylaw
in condominiums where units are not individually metered, it may be necessary to install sub-
meters, which could be cost prohibitive.

2. Representation on the board of directors

In a situation where a condominium has 10 commercial owners and 90 residential owners, it is
not difficult to see how there can be inequities with respect to representation on the board. The
residential owners, in this situation, would certainly have the ability to ensure that the
commercial owners don’t have representation on the board.

In some cases, mixed-use condominiums will have a bylaw which requires that a certain
number of positions on the board be reserved for commercial owners. However, it can tip the
scales the other way, and can prove to be inequitable for the residential owners. Accordingly,
such a bylaw must be carefully crafted to ensure that the best interests of the corporation are
granted first priority.

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3. Safety and security
One of the central concerns in a mixed-use setting is to ensure that the development is built in
such a way as to provide for the security of all residents of the complex. In other words, the
development must take into account how each of the users, owners, occupants, or tenants, or
their agents or guests, will access their portion of the development, without creating security
risks for others.

For example, if the nature of a development allows the patrons of a commercial tenant access
to interior parking, then the development should also contemplate how to separate access from
the residential versus commercial portion of the complex.

Residential owners certainly do not want to face the risk of the general public having access to
their units, or the residential common elements. What’s more, commercial owners would not
want the liability of being responsible for possible damages that could be caused to the common
elements by guests who may have overstayed their welcome.

4. Complaints
Given the nature of communal living, every condominium corporation must deal with complaints
from owners from time to time. However, the type of complaints that arise in a mixed-use setting
can be a little trickier to manage, given that the expectations of the occupants are not
necessarily common.

Consider the competing rights of a residential owner to quiet enjoyment of the premises, and a
commercial owner who operates a 24-hour gym located beneath the residential owner’s unit.
Assume also that the nature of the commercial use was fully disclosed. Complaints will
inevitably arise. How is a condominium corporation expected to balance these competing
rights?

Condominium corporations should consider implementing a policy for addressing complaints in

a consistent manner. If the corporation determines a complaint has merit and requires action, it
should have a process in place for analyzing solutions and what obligations it has to involve
owners in the decision.

The corporation would need to consider whether changes are required, and, if so, what its
obligations are under the Condominium Act. In the example of the 24-hour gym, the
condominium corporation could review noise reduction solutions and the respective cost of each
solution.

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 LOCAL CONDOMINIUM SAMPLES

VINIA RESIDENCES

Gently infusing city life with nature is Vinia, a 25-storey mixed-use condominium offering
versatile living spaces at the lifestyle belt of Quezon City. Its strategic location, just a few steps
away from the North Avenue MRT Station along EDSA, links urbanites to the rest of the
metropolis, particularly the booming north.
Vinia integrates productivity and flexibility with its Versaflats or Small Office Home Office units
perfect for professionals who want to work in the comfort of their homes. It also features pocket
gardens, garden walls and a sky park to bring residents closer to nature.
Features &
Amenities

Refreshing
Amenities
Take a dip in the
infinity pool as
you say goodbye
to the stresses of
the city.

Amenities and
building
features to make you stay convenient and worry free:

 Garden Wall
 Grand Lobby and Reception Lounge
 WiFi Access at Ground Floor and Roof deck Amenities
 Meeting Rooms
 Pockets Gardens
 Infinity Pool
 Sky Lounge
 Fitness Studio
 Business Center

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FLOOR PLANS

STUDIO UNIT 22.22 - 24.76 sqm ± 1-BEDROOM 28.12 - 34 sqm ±

2-BEDROOM UNIT 49.34 sqm ±

FLOOR PLAN
Commercial Units – G
Versaflats (SOHO) Floo
Residential Unit

FLOOR PLAN
Commercial
Versafla
Residential Unit Floor Plan

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 FLOOR PLAN
Commercial Units – Ground Floor Layout
Versaflats (SOHO) Floor Plan – 2nd to 8th Floor
Residential Unit Floor Plan – 9th to 26th Floor

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ACTIVA FLEX

Embrace progress, play, and productivity at Activa, a transit-oriented mixed-use development

seamlessly integrating modern-day essentials. It is home to four components that let you live
the beat. Savor life at the center at Activa Flats. Be productive in the conducive spaces
of Activa Flex and Activa Office Tower. Enjoy a complete lifestyle with healthy choices at
the Activa Mall.
Activa Flex is the ideal home base for your business in the metro. This versatile development
offers Small Office / Home Office, Regular Office, and Compound Office units in various cuts
and sizes. Tailored for optimal efficiency, it is equipped with fiber optic infrastructure for a robust
and reliable connectivity that enables your business to thrive.
Features &
Amenities

Nurture your most

creative and
innovative ideas in
Activa Flex’s
conducive
amenities.

 Business Lounges
 Demo Suites
 Sky Garden
 Viewing Deck
 Reception and Lobby
 High-powered Elevators
 Fiber Optic Backbone for Telecoms
 100% Back-up Power Supply Generators for Common Areas and Units

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FLOOR PLANS

Activa Flex offers smartly-designed spaces that makes for ideal home bases for enterprises of
varied scales.

SOHO STUDIO UNIT

20.42 – 24.02 sqm ±

REGULAR OFFICE UNIT

20.42 - 65.57 sqm ±

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 SOHO 1-BEDROOM UNIT
26.08 - 35.13 sqm ±

SOHO 2-BEDROOM UNIT

41.75 - 57.94 sqm ±

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 COMPOUND OFFICE
150.95 - 242.33 sqm ±

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REFERENCES:

https://aspirebyfilinvest.com/project/activa-flex

https://aspirebyfilinvest.com/project/vinia-residences

https://aspirebyfilinvest.com/blog/benefits-of-living-in-mixed-use-properties

https://hub.associaonline.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-mixed-use-communities

https://www.ayalaland.com.ph/premier-mixed-use-developments-philippines/

https://www.reminetwork.com/articles/co-existing-in-mixed-use-condominiums/

https://hudcc.gov.ph/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/document/IRR%20PD%20957.pdf

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