HIGH-RISE CONDOMINIUM

High-rise condominium buildings, with a minimum of twelve floors, are usually located in densely
populated urban areas. They boast stunning views, numerous amenities, and prime city
locations. High-rise apartments often feature luxury interiors, tranquil settings, and spectacular
vistas of the city skyline. Just like high rise jeans and high rise pants, these buildings provide
both style and comfort to their residents.

● Ownership: Unlike traditional apartments, individual units within a high-rise

condominium are owned by the residents, similar to owning a single-family home. This
creates a sense of ownership and potential for appreciation in value.
● Amenities: High-rise condominiums are often known for offering a wide range of
amenities and facilities beyond the basic necessities. These can include fitness centers,
swimming pools, social spaces, business centers, and many more. These amenities are
typically shared among all residents and contribute to a luxurious and convenient living
experience.
● Location: High-rise condominiums are often found in urban areas due to the efficient
use of land and the desirability of panoramic views from higher floors. They offer
residents convenient access to shopping, dining, entertainment, and other urban
amenities.
● Management: High-rise condominiums typically have a homeowners' association
(HOA) responsible for managing the common areas, maintaining the building, and
enforcing rules. Residents pay monthly fees to the HOA to cover these costs.

The homeowners' association (HOA) for a condominium building doesn't have a physical
location within the condo itself. It's important to understand that the HOA is not a physical space
but rather a legal entity and a governing body that represents all the condo owners.

DESIGN GUIDELINES AND PARAMETERS (TIME SAVER STANDARDS)

ZONING AND CODES
● General
Zoning and building codes are of basic importance to any project; and of all types of
projects, those which involve housing tend to be regulated to a greater degree by zoning
ordinances and codes.

Appropriate local and regional authorities should be contacted in order to determine the
type and extent of limitations or controls which may be imposed on a project and, further,
to gauge the discretionary powers and flexibility of the governing authorities.

SITE CONSIDERATIONS
● Site Characteristics
Physical characteristics of a site may impose limitations on a building program; therefore
an early analysis of site data and conditions should be undertaken by the architect in
order to ascertain and evaluate such limitations.
● Utilities
Availability, adequacy, and location of site utilities enter into basic decision making. A
building or buildings may be located so as to minimize expensive service runs
Inadequacy or unavailability of certain services may require on-site generation or
disposal facilities.

● Large Scale
Large-scale residential developments involve special problems and opportunities.
Closing or rerouting of streets wholly within a project is frequently undertaken and can
free up area, eliminate restrictions of a street grid pattern, and generally change the
scale and feeling of a project When through streets within a project ore closed or
otherwise restricted, compensatory widening and improvement of peripheral roads is
usually in order not only to offset the effect of the closings but also to accommodate the
increased traffic flow generated by the project itself. Similarly, shutting down a utility line
and adding to demand generally requires compensatory improvement.

● Site Elements
Figure 5 diagrams possible relationships among site layout elements which normally
occur in apartment development. As suggested by the diagram, it is desirable to limit
cross traffic among circulation elements such as vehicular access and pedestrian access
and to maintain proximity or easy access among activity elements such as the dwelling
unit, recreation, and parking.
 ● Building Orientation

Building orientation may be influenced by a number of factors such as site, view

(desirable or undesirable), sun, and prevailing winds. Closely interrelated to building
orientation is the question of internal circulation and floor layout of the building. Figure 8
indicates how different layouts lend themselves to solutions of site problems.

STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS
● Limitations
As a rule of thumb, spacing between concrete columns may economically be in the
range of 12- to 1 fl-ft centers and spacing for steel columns may range from 16 to 24 ft.

Figure 12 may serve as a guide for sizing of concrete columns in preliminary layouts.
Three common bay sizes or center-to-center distances have been shown for various
building heights Sizes are for internal columns, expressed in square inches. Peripheral
and corner columns will be smaller.

The smallest dimension per side considered acceptable for concrete columns is 10 in.,
and 4 ft is the limit which normal concrete framework can easily accommodate Columns
with larger dimensions become, in effect, walls and are formed differently.

VERTICAL SERVICES
● Elevators
There are four variables involved in
elevator selection:
1. Travel distance
2. Elevator speed
3. Elevator capacity
4. Building population and type of elevators
necessary for an efficient solution.
● Egress and Safety
Except in rare circumstances, relatively little in the realm of egress and safety is left to
the discretion of the architect.

Fire escapes are usually required for construction that is not fireproof; and sprinklers,
smoke doors, fire detectors, and alarms are additionally required for various
classifications of construction in some codes.

● Plumbing
Vertical plumbing risers and waste lines (or "plumbing stacks") are expensive due to both
material and labor costs. Reduction in the number of stacks saves money and is,
therefore, to a greater or lesser extent advantageous and advisable
 ● Ventilation
Interior spaces such as bathrooms,
interior kitchens, and public halls require
mechanical exhaustion.

● Heating and Cooling

In most cases, planning and spatial
layout are not significantly influenced by
heating and/or cooling units and their
lines of supply. The most common
exception is the case in which ducts
deliver conditioned air from either a
central source or a unit in the apartment.

FIRST FLOOR ORGANIZATION

● General
The first floor of an apartment building fulfills a number of different program requirements
It serves as a connection between the dwelling portion of a building and the outdoors; it
 relates and interacts with both the outdoor functions and the dwelling units; and, further,
it accommodates the physical transition between the dwelling units and the first floor.
Program requirements for typical first-floor spaces frequently call for larger unobstructed
areas than occur at dwelling floors above. Common methods employed to achieve the
unobstructed space at the first floor ere (1) to push out" the walls at the ground floor and
enclose a larger space with an appropriate structure or, (2) to hang a ceiling in the first
floor and "collect" and redirect various vertical services which would otherwise break up
space at the ground floor. This is a common method used in the case of plumbing,
heating, and electrical lines and not unusual for ventilating ducts If there is substantial
advantage to be gained, structural columns may be picked up and carried on girders
concealed by the hung ceiling.

● Vertical Circulation Core

For purposes of security and convenience, elevators should be well illuminated and
visible from the lobby area. At least one exit stair should empty directly to the outside
(but not necessarily at the lobby level).

It should be borne in mind that the stair layout in the lobby will frequently differ from a
typical floor due to a greater first-floor ceiling height.
● Commercial
Shops and service facilities at the ground floor provide many advantages in terms of
activity and convenience. However, much of the advantage to the building may be
diminished if the shops face away from the lobby and provide either no access or poor
back-door access from the apartment building itself. On the other hand, easy circulation
between a commercial establishment and the lobby may cause security problems which
must be considered.

● Laundry and Community Room

Laundries and community rooms are frequently found at the first floor for convenient
servicing and public access and in order to utilize the additional story height These
facilities should be on a short, direct path from elevators. with as little cross circulation
with other activities as possible.
- Laundries may be located either on typical floors or in a penthouse in conjunction with
the community room.
- Refuse disposal may be handled in a number of ways. The most widely used methods
are by incineration or preferably, by compaction, with the processed refuse hauled away
by truck. Both the incinerator and compactor require a storage area for waste containers,
which should be nearby and should have easy access to the outdoors.
DESIGN GUIDELINES (NATIONAL BUILDING CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES)
AMENITIES AND FACILITIES
Facilities are function-focused elements that serve a specific purpose and are necessary for the
building's basic operation.expand more. They are often considered infrastructure and contribute
to the functionality of the building. For example, elevators, stairwells, hallways, laundry rooms,
garbage disposal areas, parking spaces, electrical systems, plumbing systems, security
systems, fire alarms, and common areas like lobbies and hallways. Meanwhile, amenities are
comfort and enjoyment-focused. These are additional features that enhance the comfort,
convenience, or enjoyment of the occupants but are not essential for the basic operation of the
building. They add value and appeal to the building but are not mandatory. These can also be
called non-essential facilities. For example, swimming pools, fitness centers, rooftop gardens,
game rooms, business centers, co-working spaces, movie theaters, concierge services,
pet-friendly features like dog parks or grooming stations, guest suites, on-site restaurants or
cafes, and recreational areas.

Facilities:
● Security: High-rise condos typically have robust security features such as 24/7 security
personnel, controlled access entry systems, and security cameras. These features are
crucial for ensuring the safety and security of residents.
 ● Parking: Secure underground or ● Waste disposal: Trash chutes or
covered parking is usually available designated waste disposal areas are
for residents. This provides a safe conveniently located within the
and convenient place to park their building, eliminating the need for
vehicles. residents to carry trash long
distances.

Amenities:
● Fitness and wellness centers: These facilities
often include state-of-the-art equipment, cardio
machines, free weights, and sometimes even
yoga studios or aerobics rooms. Some high-end
condos may even have features like indoor
pools, saunas, and steam rooms.

● Swimming pools: Outdoor or indoor swimming

pools provide a refreshing escape, especially
during hot weather. They can also be a great
place to relax and socialize with other residents.

● Social spaces: Lounges, game rooms, and

terraces offer residents opportunities to relax,
socialize, and entertain guests. Some buildings
may even have rooftop gardens or barbecue
areas. These spaces foster a sense of
community and provide residents with a variety
of ways to unwind and connect with others.

● Convenience services: On-site amenities like

convenience stores, dry cleaners, and salons
can add a touch of luxury and convenience to
 your life. They can save residents time and
effort by providing essential services within the
building itself.
● Business centers: These centers provide
residents with access to computers, printers,
and meeting rooms, enabling them to work from
home or host business meetings.
● Pet-friendly features: Some high-rise condos
cater to pet owners by providing amenities such
as dog grooming stations, pet walking areas,
and pet-friendly elevators.

AREAS WITH PERCENTAGE

Residential Units:
● Studios: 15-20%
● One-Bedroom Units: 30-40%
● Two-Bedroom Units: 30-40%
● Three-Bedroom Units: 10-15%
● Penthouses: 5-10%
Common Areas and Amenities:
● Lobbies and Corridors: 5-10%
● Lounge/Recreation Areas: 10-15%
● Gym/Fitness Center: 5-10%
● Swimming Pool: 5-10%
● Entertainment Rooms (e.g., cinema, game room): 5-10%
● Outdoor Spaces (gardens, terraces): 5-10%
Parking and Transportation:
● Resident Parking: 15-25%
● Guest Parking: 5-10%
● Bicycle Storage: 1-3%
● Access Roads and Driveways: 5-10%
Concierge/Management Offices: 2-5%
Mailrooms: 1-3%

EXAMPLES
● The Residences at Greenbelt, Makati City
This complex is composed of three high-rise towers and offers residents a variety of amenities,
including a swimming pool, fitness center, spa, and cinema. The building has 48 floors above
ground, which includes a 4-level podium with commercial establishments, and 3 basement
levels for parking. It is considered to be one of the most prestigious residential building in the
Philippines.
 FLOOR PLAN EXTERIOR

● Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila

Located in the Bonifacio Global City, this 51-storey condominium complex offers residents a
variety of amenities, including a swimming pool, fitness center, spa, and business center.

FLOOR PLANS
 EXTERIOR INTERIOR

PHYSICAL PROFILE OF PAMPANGA

1. Topography
The province of Pampanga is a part of the
great plain extending from Manila Bay
north of the gulf of Lingayen, Pangasinan.
Most of this area is only a few meters
above sea level. Mt. Arayat, with a height
of 3,200 ft. and the elevated strip along
the western boundary of the Zambales
Mountain rise to a height of nearly 1,900
meters constitute the only highland. The
general slope is south and southeast
towards Manila Bay and Rio Grande. In
the northwestern part of the province,
however, the land slope is going
downward towards Mt. Arayat. Not far from the base is the Pampanga River which channels
floodwaters into the wide Candaba Swamp, then to tributaries, rivulets, creeks and finally to
Manila Bay.

2. Land Classification
Pampanga is chiefly an agricultural province
endowed with natural resources. It has always
been chosen as a model area because of its vast
and fertile land devoted to rice production and
other high value commercial crops. Of the total
land area of 218,068 hectares, 138,707 hectares
or 63.61 % is devoted to agricultural production.
The total land area of Pampanga is classified as
follows:
 A. Alienable and Disposal Land
- Agriculture - 138,707
- Built-up areas - 33,909
Subtotal 172,616 has.

B. Forest Land
- Forest Reserves - 12,484
- Established Timberland - 6,929
- National Parks- 3,709
- Military & Naval Reservations- 7,452
- Fishpond - 14,878
Subtotal 45,452 has
Total - 218,068 hectares

3. Climate
Pampanga has two pronounced seasons of types C and D based on the PAGASA classification.
The dry season starts from November to April and wet from May to October. Only cyclonic or
summer rainfall prevail the northeast monsoon rains being hardly noticeable, hence the long dry
season. July, August and September are the months of high precipitation while March, April and
May are the dry and hot months. The heaviest rains come during the month of July and
sometimes last up to October. The heavy rainfalls bring about disastrous floods in some areas
like San Luis, San Simon, Lubao, Bacolor, Guagua, Sto. Tomas, Minalin and Apalit.

NATURAL RESOURCES
1. Land and Forest Resources
The soils of Pampanga are generally of recent all
north and northwest of San Fernando consist of
coa southeast, silt loam to clay.

Pampanga's surface soils are composed of 54%

sand, 21 % silt and 25% clay. They are slightly
acidic with the exception of the Arayat sandy clay
loam which is somewhat alkaline. Also, they are
not sticky and plastic because the magnesium
content is very much lower than half of the
calcium content. The presence of high ratio of
magnesium to calcium indicates the degree of
stickiness or plasticity of a soil.

Forestland covers 24.38% of the total land area or

approximately 53,156 hectares. The Arayat National Park covers approximately 3,718 hectares,
508.69 hectares of which consists the park resort area.
2. Water Resources
Numerous rivers drain Pampanga. The largest
and longest of these is the Pampanga River
which runs from Nueva Ecija and flows along the
slope of Mt. Arayat, cutting across the entire
eastern section of the province until it reaches
Manila Bay. Other rivers worth mentioning are the
Porac River, Gumain River and Caulaman River.
These flow from streams and small inlets from
the mountainous regions along the boundary of
Zambales and empty out into small tributaries
eventually, finding their way into the sea.

The province's source of water for domestic use

is from its enormous groundwater reserves. It can
be extracted through the construction wells
equipped with pumps or available springwater.

3. Mineral Resources
Pampanga province was observed to have metallic deposits of gold, silver and copper and
non-metallic deposits of clay, sand and gravel.

SECTORAL PROFILE
1. Economic Sector
A. Agriculture
For the Year 2012, Province crop production
area is composed of 70,758.60 hectares
devoted to rice production, 7,517.71
hectares for corn production, 1,407.04
hectares for sugarcane, 2,138.35 Ha for root
crops, 883.26 Ha for legumes, 2,667.75 Ha
for leafy vegetables, 2,086.30 Ha for fruit
vegetables, 478.28 Ha for spices and about
7,514.40 hectares other crops.

There was a total of 13,430 carabao heads

and 22,646 cattle. Majority of livestock include 152,413 heads of swine, 33,282 goats
and 7,475,355 heads of poultry.

Post harvest facilities include 251 units of 4-wheel tractor and 6,754 units of hand
tractors. Other facilities include 206 rice mills, 290 reapers, 476 warehouses, 16 cold
storages, 11 processing plants, 690 MPDP, 10 mechanical dryers and 4 re-circulating
dryers.
 B. Trade & Industry
For the year 2012, Pampanga generated an export totaling US$6 Million for the year.
Inter­national Trade Fairs particularly the Manila FAME in April and October mainly
contributed to this. MSMEs enrolled under the Export Pathways Program also provided
significant contributions.

Domestic sales performance, on the other hand, reached a high Php 801 Million.
Consistent with the previous years, aggressive market matching activities for Processed
Food MSMEs, GHD, and CARP MSMES were the main contributors. DTI-Pampanga's
active promotion and effective staging of Local Trade Fairs such as Likha ng Central
Luzon in November and the Pampanga Agro-Industrial Trade Fair in December also
significantly added to this. Further, the operation of Pasalubong Centers namely
Pampanga's Best, Tita's Special, Delyn's Spe­cial Pasalubong Center, and Deco Central
also considerably contributed to the domestic per­formance.

The amount of investments through DTI-initiated events totaled Php 116 Million with
4,387 jobs created. Investments and jobs reported were mostly on Agribusiness,
Processed Food, Gifts and Home Decors, and Trading.

A total of 756 MSMEs provided relevant, effective and continuous interventions in the
form of consultancy services, market matching activities, training and seminars, conduct
of trade fairs, establishment and maintenance of pasalubong centers, and institutional
strengthening.

C. Tourism
Pampanga is endowed with both natural and man-made tourist attractions making it one
of the favorite tourist destinations of local and foreign tourists. The rich culture of the
Kapampangan is blended with the most modern and first-rate recreational, leisure and
tourism facilities which makes one stay both memorable and truly enjoyable.

2. Social Sector
A. Health
For 2012, government health facilities in the province include 1 Provincial Health Office,
2 City Health Office, 9 District Hospitals, 41 Rural Health Units and 5 RHUs for San
Fernando, 324 Barangay Health Stations and 1 Community Hospital. Private Health
Facilities include 10 Secondary Hospitals, 1 Tertiary Hospital and 40 Private Hospitals.

B. Education
For the SY 2012-2013 there were 541 Pre-Elementary Schools, 556 Elementary
Schools, 110 Secondary Schools and 4 technical Vocational Schools.Total number of
public elementary en­rolment was posted at 240,956 (K-6) and 98051 public secondary
enrolment.

C. Peace and Order

Pampanga PPO recorded a total of 2,542 crime incidents from 01 January 2012 to 31
De­cember 2012 which is lower by 1,500 or 37% from the 4,542 crime incidents recorded last
year. Out of the 2,542 crime incidents, 1,447 were Index Crimes and 1,095 were Non-Index
Crimes. With these figures, the PPO obtained a 39% Crime Solution efficiency which is higher
by
190.01 % recorded on the same period last year. Also, this Office attained an Average Monthly
Crime rate of 13.74 per month a decreased of 37.11% on the same period covered.

3. INFRASTRUCTURE AND UTILITIES

A. Roads and Bridges
The province's total road
network is 2,436.16 kilometers:
total length of national roads is
293.609 kilometers of 12.05%
of the total road network,
provincial roads are 320.871
kilometers or 13.17%;
municipal roads are 233.34 or
9.58% and barangay roads
constitute 1,558.340 kilometers
or 65.20%.

Pampanga's road density is 2.61 kilometers per square kilometer (excluding barangay
roads). Bridges along the national road totaled 101 units.

B. Transport System
i. Land
The total number of registered motor
vehicles for the year 2009 was 241,993.

ii. Water
The province has five (5) existing municipal
ports utilized mostly as fish landing center.
These are located in the municipalities of
Guagua, Macabebe, Masantol, Minalin and
Sasmuan.

iii. Air
There are two existing air- strips in the
province: the Basa Air Base in Floridablanca
which is being utilized by the military and
thein Angeles City.

C. Telecommunication
 Excellent telecommunication facilities with almost all the companies operating in the
province have international and national direct dial facilities. There are six telephone
companies providing telephone services to the cities of SanFernando and Angeles and
to the municipalities. Service companies include the Philippine Long Distance Telephone
Company, the Angeles City Telephone Company, Digitel, Dau Telecom, Datelcom.
Smart, Sun and Globe.

United Parcel Service (UPS) provides international courier services for the province and
the rest of the country, they being locators of Clark Special Economic Zone as well.
These international couriers are complemented by four (4) local couriers operating as
communication and baggage carriers in the province.

There are 3 postal district offices and 35 post office stations distributed in the 20
municipalities and 2 cities within the province. Other communication facilities operating in
the province are cable networks and radio stations.

D. Irrigation System
There are four (4) existing national irrigation systems constructed and being operated
and maintained by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA). These are the
Porac-Gumain Rivers Irrigation System (PGRIS), Caulaman River Irrigation System
(CRIS), Upper Pampanga Rivers Integrated Irrigation System (UPRIIS) and
Angat-Maasim Rivers Irrigation System (AMRIS). PGRIS decreased its coverage by
37.81% while CRIS remained un-operational. AMRIS however, increased its coverage
from 2.131 hectares to 6.52 as a result of the improvement and wide coverage of the
system. The Irrigation component of the Pampanga Delta Development Project was able
to irrigate 7,401 hectares of farmland. Communal Irrigation Systems and Pumps (CIS
and CIP) covered 2,916 hectares. The Department of Agriculture's operation of the
Small Water Impounding Project (SWIP) and Shallow Tube Wells were used to alleviate
the drought spell and were able to support a total of 9,153.5 hectares. Pumps numbering
8,723 were able to irrigate 27,463.95 hectares.
E. Power
Almost 99.04% of the province is energized brought about by the existing major power
transmission lines providing electric power in the province. The largest is the Pampanga
Electric Cooperative (PELCO), the Pampanga Rural Electric Service Cooperative, Inc
(PRESCO), Angeles Electric Corporation (AEC) and San Fernando Electric Company
(SFELAPCO). (MERALCO) also extends services to some parts of Pampanga.

F. Water
There are 26 Level III systems (pressure pumps) distributed in 13 municipalities and two
cities. Eleven (11) are being managed by the Local Water and Utilities Administration
(LWUA) water districts, 4 by the Rural Waterworks and Sanitation Associations (RWSA)
and one (1) by the Angeles City government. Sixteen of the systems are located in urban
areas while 10 are in the rural areas.
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