Existing Condition

PUBLIC MARKET OF BOCAUE IN CONTEXT Although Bocaue, Bulacan, Philippines has amazing places, products, activities, and cultural events, one of their concerns is the deterioration of Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port since it is located at the heart of the town. First, it is due to different political perceptions, it resulted in several redevelopments or changes of the place, but only the external factor has been changing without considering the economic, social, and environment due to the of reason "practicality". Second, the place generates Php 30,000 – Php 40,000 ($1,700 - $2,200) per week (Friday–Sunday) from the rental spaces and Php 1,700 – Php 2,000 ($90 - $110) on a typical day (Monday-Thursday) from the parking fees and potential income can generate more if this big chunk of space has been redeveloping. Lastly, the town of Bocaue has blue and green open spaces. The major blue open space is the Bocaue River and green open space is limited to the Barangay basketball courts, the small municipal plaza, and Ciudad de Victoria which is not accessible and private. The town of Bocaue has been concerned about dealing with a flooding problem in some areas, particularly those near the river. However, according to the Department of Trade and Industry resiliency indicators 2021, Bocaue has a poor local risk assessment, a disaster risk reduction plan, and a lack of a land use plan, ranking it 225th in terms of resiliency. The following are the problems that must be addressed: 1. How can the public market be a communal place that contributes to the urban fabric of Bocaue? 2. What are the spatial requirements of the public market to be resilient in terms of planning? 3. What spatial strategies can be adopted to make the public market flexible to the needs of the users and its contextual issues?

Design Conceptualization

STYLE AND CONCEPT If not in the world, in the Philippines, the traditional public market or fish port is more likely a steel column covered by a G.I. sheet, sometimes dense and poorly ventilated. Considering hedonistic sustainability as a design style will affect not only the public market itself, but also its power to influence others that a single structure can be ecologically, environmentally, and socially sustainable. COMMUNITY + CULTURE The evolution of time may reshape what architecture is today, beyond its aesthetic value, a practical functionality. Using the oxymoronic notion - hedonistic sustainability, an architecture that is incredibly linked to the people while celebrating its rich culture. Going back to the landscape of the town – a suburban setting in the middle of urbanized cities. The public market's architectural form is related to the town of Bocaue; it is more likely a neighborhood but on a single structure. A clustered structure that is properly designed and permeable depending on its programs. The town's pagoda festival served as inspiration for the fish port's concept of a modern development that is rooted in the past. It is an annual event that is celebrated during the entire month of July, in contrast to the fiesta of the Holy Cross of Wawa near the river. the design is always prestigious and magnificent and visitors can ride on the pagoda during its nine-day novena.

Master Site Development Plan

DEVELOPMENT DEFINITION The revitalization of the Bocaue public market aims to transform the image of a “palengke” into a landmark that will be a catalyst for the evolution in line with the town’s vision which is to maximize the Bocaue River while protecting the community. By providing creative and effective solutions it can become one of the standards of a modernized public market in the country. The town currently lacks public open space and has a low level of resiliency in terms of its disaster risk reduction plan. Therefore, the development will address the issues that maximize the spaces in the main public market and fish port by also including a variety of functionality such as public open spaces, modular emergency facilities, and transport terminal specifically for tricycles, jeepneys, and UV Express since UV Express terminals going to and from Pampanga and Metro Manila are located only near the NLEX toll exits. As the municipality's population and development increase the emergence and volume of vehicles, proper terminals should be constructed to optimize road capacity. By proposing a sustainable social infrastructure, including green spaces, it will provide both protection and enjoyment to the community while also functioning as a recreational and cultural amenity, therefore improving the community's quality of life. A long-term, resilient infrastructure or design solution that does not need to separate the view and people itself from its natural environment, livelihood, and cultural activities.

Research Application

RESILIENT PLACEMAKING The research application also applied this “oxymoronic framework” whereas in every revitalization the often use of placemaking in every public infrastructure. In the context of the Bocaue public market and fish port, it is divided into two contradictory functions which are to be resilient and to socialize. In resiliency, it needs to provide an emergency facility + esplanade, and in socialize, it needs to improve the quality of life + connect people to nature to create a socially resilient infrastructure. For the application, it is divided into 5 parts: 1. RESILIENCY - The Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port is intended to serve as a "prototype" for the entire Bocaue River in terms of planning how riverside residents may enjoy the riverfront while also being protected from natural calamities like floods by providing a resilient esplanade. 2. PARTNERS - Most of the architectural features of the Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port come from agents of change, whereas the researcher conducts interviews based on specific qualifying criteria. It is divided into two categories: formal and informal change agents. Formal Agents include representatives from local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), planners, academics, and others. Informal Agents include Individuals, households, informal groups, and communities. 3. POWER OF 10+ - The architectural design solution of the Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port is primarily based on the preferences, recommendations, and suggestions of stakeholder which applies to the concept of the power of 10+. An idea that was designed to assess and support placemaking at various city scales. 10+ activities, places, or destinations in the project that make it a great town. 4. PLACE BRANDING - Bocaue has many things to be proud of, including its culture, livelihood, products, and people, which makes it simple to create a brand for the town. In fact, the town was nicknamed “The Bocaue Rivertown Wonders” by the local government due to the vibrant life that occurs along the river. 5. WAYFINDING - People require visuals such as guides, maps, and signages to assist them in navigating to specific destinations when architectural settings get increasingly complex. Applying creative wayfinding at the structure from the floor to the ceiling.

Aerial View

"BIGKIS" MEANS TO BIND, BOND, OR CONNECT Today, the location of the Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port is very strategic and accessible to maximize its functionality rather than continuing redevelopment based on differing political perceptions and putting a barrier that separates the people from the beautiful environment. It is evident that it can be a place for social gatherings and curating different cultural events. It will now become associated with the town of Bocaue and a part of every Bocaueno's life in every generation. The revitalization can have an impact not only on the appearance of the town but also on the people who live there. The Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port can bring back the publicness of the market that can act as a communal space that influences people's quality of life. It can be sustainable not only in terms of considering nature and economic factors in the design but also in terms of the people having fun, enjoying, and keeping safe in the development. Aside from it, it can also be resilient when it comes to planning, not only in terms of structural durability, but also in regard to having a long-term vision by considering and connecting the macro ambitions of the surrounding neighborhood and offering different functionality to the architecture by considering social, economic, and environmental factors into account. Instead of being a symbol of pollution due to its deteriorating condition, the Bocaue Public Market and Fish Port will now become a celebration of success, and every time we go to our public market or fish port, we can say that this is "us" because of the distinct cultural identity that is embedded in the design. It will now serve as an urban connector, cultural destination, and gathering place for both locals and tourists.