Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 1
Introduction
Kung nais mong matayo ng lipunan, magtayo ka muna ng daang bakal, dahil kung saan
tumatawid ang riles nito, doon rin dadaan ang pagbabago. (Kara David, 2016)
Concept of Transportation
The concept of transportation can be defined primarily through its basic definition,
which is the ability to bring something from one place to the other. The most primitive way of
doing so and probably practiced in a daily basis is through simple carrying and walking to the
target destination. However, this becomes a predicament with larger bulks that need to be
transported simultaneously. Humanity started using animals and carriages with wheels as a
solution. Animals that could carry heavier loads were able to drag carriages much faster than
a long human could. The industrial era was one of the most disruptive ages in human history.
It has brought about mechanized transport vehicles that do not rely on biological capacity to
transport products. Ships and airplanes have exploited other ecological environments (sea and
the atmosphere) to transport goods of varying sizes and weights, while railways were
developed to utilize terrestrial travel. Whenever a railway traverses a certain point, its vicinity
develops and urbanizes. If the early civilizations determine their dwelling area through the
availability of supplies (mainly water), the industrial age society, through the railway which
had the ability to transport bulks of goods displaced the old practice, developed their towns
People realized that it is far more convenient to locate transportation vehicles in the
same place where they can procure the services of long distance travelling. Longer travel
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routes demanded certain points where short travels and long travels could diverge and
synchronize their departure and arrival schedules. Most cities have evolved separate land-
based, air and, in some cases, waterborne transport over the years, and their very separateness
may have been their salvation in the face of organization, responsibility and physical
constraints. But now, with transport coming of age, that separation is being replaced by
joined-up thinking and transport authorities can exploit interchange opportunities. (Blow,
2005)
Mass transportation allowed bringing goods that could not be found in other areas of
the country. Plantations usually require large land areas and are located outside the Metro. It
also allowed comfortable living conditions in suburban areas, away from the serious ambiance
of the work environment, and on the other hand, purely dedicated areas for industrial
production. However, the corresponding expense of transportation is also affecting the market
price of these goods. Cheaper shipping fees means a proportionally cheaper market value. The
more expensive the travel service, the more expensive the product is. This worked
mutualistically. Both the source and its receiver (the source of the goods and the
terminal/location receiving the goods) benefit economically; making the transport facility or
at least the development near it, a one stop shop for trade and commerce.
entertainment of large densities of visitors. Transport hubs act as a gateway to the city or its
host region; the high density of locals vouching for its services give visitors and tourists a
glimpse of the social fabric of the city. Such transport facilities also provide shops wherein
visitors and tourists could purchase souvenirs or remembrances of the place. Japans tourist
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merchandise shops within the station serves as an excellent example of the feasibility of this.
transportation in the country, making their MTR business model one of the most sought out
when studying the feasibility of train network projects. Meanwhile in Taiwan, they utilize the
architectural design by making each train station in Taipei a destination for tourists. You can
stamp a booklet with a rubber stamp illustrating the design of the station; like a passport.
10th fastest growing economy in the world. The Republic of the Philippines, is
expected to advance between 6.5% to 7.5% (World Bank, 2016). Like other Asian economies,
we have reached a state of urbanization wherein mobility and transportation has become a
crucial factor to the quality of life, and the fabric of economic activity in the country. However,
unlike the said nations, we are lacking in transportation infrastructure and technology. In fact,
according to a study made by (Numbeo, 2016), a cost of living-data analyst, based in Serbia,
Manila ranks 10th with the worst traffic in the world; Mumbai, India being the first. Manila,
because of its traffic issues, loses 2.4 billion pesos daily. The same study also cautioned the
nation that we are expected to lose 6 billion pesos by 2030 if we are not to alleviate the said
heavy traffic issue. MRT-3 and even PNR trains exceed their crush capacity because of the
ever-increasing demand to the service. While there are multiple solutions that could answer
this issue such as decongestion of Manila through regional urbanization, it is still crucial that
In the decades when we neglected our infra while our neighbors rapidly built up theirs, we
(Dominguez, 2017)
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Tutuban Center
In the 25th of June 1875, the Spanish King, Alfonso XII, promulgated a royal decree
wherein the office of Inspector of Public Works of the Philippine Islands must map out a
railway system plan for the island of Luzon. Five months later, Don Eduardo Lopez Navarro
presented the Memoria Sobre el Plan General de Ferrocarriles en la Isla de Luzn (Report on
the General Railroad Plan on the Island of Luzon) and was approved shortly after, then being
the pioneering railroad in Asia. In 1887, Don Carlos E. Bertodano who was representing the
Manila Railroad Company, began the construction of the Tutuban Station and the construction
The construction of the Tutuban station sparked even greater economic opportunities in
this area of Tondo, Manila. Most merchants were convinced of the convenience of its
proximity to the Pasig River and the Tutuban Central Station, making it a drop-off center for
goods and services. Tutuban comes from tubaan, or a place where you can make coconut
wine or tuba. To date, Tutuban is still a thriving area for cheap goods and merchandizes, bulk
buying- attracting both tourists and locals with its commerciality (Entrepreneur Philippines,
2011). The land ownership of Tutuban is primarily handled by both Prime Orion Philippines
Tutuban Properties is a subsidiary of the POPI Group, and was a public company through
the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE). In 2015, ALI was able to procure most of the
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outstanding shares of Tutuban Properties making ALI the major shareholder of the said
company. In January 2017, Mr. Jose Emmanuel Jalandoni disclosed in their annual
shareholder meeting that together with ALI, they are planning and pressing to redevelop its
22-hectare Tutuban Land area into a large-scale mixed-use community with the introduction
of various establishments such as a museum, dormitories, schools, hospitals, and office and
commercial areas. In addition, they hoped to reach a gross leasable area (GLA) of 200,000
sqm. from its current 50,000 sqm in the succeeding years of operation. (Jalandoni, 2017)
The Philippine National Railways have been around for more than a hundred years, but
the quality of service says otherwise. Once, it traversed Region I: La Union, to Region V:
Bicol. Illegal settlement along the right of way, improper maintenance, natural disasters have
led to this substandard service. Although the performance and quality of travel falls to the
responsibility of the vehicle & the route, stations and terminals have their own responsibility
to passengers. Facilitation and accommodation is the primary concern of such structures. The
new PNR Station will house 3 train networks: The LRT Extension to Cavite, NSCR, and the
Patronage
The PNRs operation begins at 5:00am to 7:00pm daily, having ridership peak periods
during 6:00am, 11:00am, 3:00pm, and 7:00pm. Historically, as seen below, starting from the
year 2001, the number of passengers dropped steadily until the year 2008. The sudden
acceleration after the said year was due to the procurement of new rolling stocks in 2009. Since
The average daily ridership of the PNR railway network is approximately 70,000. As seen
below, Tutuban Station and Alabang Station have the highest passenger ridership among the
other stations of PNR. The Tutuban Station was planned to be the grand central station of the
North South Commuter Rail (NSCR) while the Alabang Station will continue to extend and
Fig. 1.2 Daily Passenger Ridership of each PNR Station from Tutuban to Alabang 2014
Interoperability
DOTr Sec. Arthur P. Tugade in the ground marking of the Malolos Station- PNR
North Line last June 2017, defined interoperability as the interconnection between all
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transportation networks operating in the nation. The LRT Line 2 will extend both its ends:
to Masinag and to Manila Port. DOTr, through the FOI site, Build.gov.ph, also aims to
revitalize the old PNR ROW through the NSCR, and another northern line connecting the
new Clark Green City (CGC) and Clark International Airport to NCR. This means that the
Tutuban Station shall begin to diversify the demographic of its passengers, and increasing
There is a great deal of opportunity for the Philippine National Railways to reclaim
its credibility as a transport service provider, and the Philippines to join Asian countries in
its ability to effectively provide this basic social service. The redevelopment project of POPI
and ALI brings even more catchment for the Tutuban Station, and simultaneously
diversifying its possible users and passengers. Ultimately, the success of the Tutuban Station
as an interchange greatly depends on its ability to provide its primary purpose: to address
the circulation of both pedestrian and vehicular circulation for a smooth transfer.
Transport Hubs or Interchange Hubs essentially are structures that house multiple
modes of transportation. Usually, these hubs are found where vehicles of long distance travel
are located; airports with connecting buses and trains to the city, sometimes with a premium
allocation for private vehicle parking. Transport hubs allow people to switch from one mode
to another with great ease. Workers and employees that reside in suburban areas rely heavily
on vehicles, both public and private, for them to reach their workplace. The massive density
of users started to influence the neighboring establishments and soon, transport hubs became
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an essential part of the economic success of its district; and its success heavily lies on factors
Wayfinding and efficiency is fundamental, especially during rush hours. The density
of people going in and out of each vehicular terminal is so massive, that individuals
unfamiliar with the location can easily be lost in the crowd. Transport hubs experience these
density spikes at least ten times a week (twice for each workday, during the morning rush,
and the evening rush) and depending on the location, the projections might be indefinite.
The size of a transport hub is dependent on the location of the site. Ideally, it must be
in places wherein there is a sustainable number of users that will rely on such establishments.
Central Business Districts like Makatis Ayala or Mandaluyong- Ortigas area can sustain
itself with the large workforce going in and out of the city every day and as well as airports
and seaports with the large group of passengers from their respective transport vehicles.
Demographic of users are also a crucial factor to determining the ancillary spaces
provided by the hub. Airport interchanges might cater to tourism-centric spaces such as
merchandise stores, telecommunications and navigation stores, while users of city hubs
might require more of the express service like food stall expresses and stores for quick
purchases.
There are also unprecedented or projection based factors such as the emergence of
new modes of transportation. This may come out as an actual new type of vehicle such as
the emergence of self-driving cars, or a new enterprise such as Uber and Grab which are
based on the new concept of sharing economy. Whatever this may be, transport hubs must
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be able to anticipate the need to house these new modes and the likeliness of market
acceptance.
In a recent study conducted by the Ford Motor Company, 3 out of 10 Filipinos feel
that commuting is the worst part of their day, and 43% of the total respondents feel that
simply, public transportation or commuting is inconvenient. The PNR like other Metro
located railway stations have been built below its actual user capacity. Train cars exceed
their crush capacity, and train stations cannot properly accommodate passengers vouching
for its transport service. Passengers now have no choice but to stretch the queue beyond the
premises of the station enclosure. Purchasing areas feature short queuing lines and the
crowded areas subjects itself to chaos and sometimes, invites crime. A study conducted in
the Tokyo Insitute of Technology, concluded that vigilance is a necessary skill for safe travel
experience. Weather and climate in the country also invites designers to revisit passive
Whatever the case, there is a dire need to improve our transportation facilities.
The LRT-MRT Interchange converges in Taft Avenue. The LRT Line 1 stretches
from end to end of Taft Avenue while MRT Line 3 traverses the length of EDSA. A
passenger could move from one station to the other through a long perplexing walk; lacking
overhead wayfinding signages, confusing pedestrian traffic circulation, and lastly, the
emergence of illegal vendors along the paths pressures passengers to be extremely vigilant
of their belongings, creating a chaotic travel experience for passengers. During rush hours,
there is an intense surge of passengers that the two stations could simply not accommodate.
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Queueing lines extend outside the perimeter of the stations, and the connecting walkways
towards a common are which is the Metropoint Mall, contributes to the pedestrian
congestion of the interchange. Meanwhile, bus and jeepney stops are found at the ground
level of these stations. The stops are relatively close to an intersection which creates heavy
Doroteo Jose- Recto Interchange converges the LRT Line 1 and LRT Line 2 in Tondo.
although comparing the width of the connecting bridge walkway, this is far wider. The
walkway also deviates itself from illegal vendors so the station transfer is much smoother.
However, during peak hours, one could still experience the tightness of the space.
distance to move between stations, however, the difference among the previously mentioned
Gateway Mall. The almost required passage may be interpreted as an economic benefit for
the retail complex, but passengers are conveniently welcomed by the well maintained and
well air-conditioned space. Passengers with a more lenient schedule may vouch for the F&B
or simply window shop at the complex. In addition, the retail complex extends its catchment
terms of railway alignment, the walk is still too far apart for the interchange to be convenient.
In Taipei Central Station, the grand hall which primarily functions to accommodate
ticket purchasing, secondarily functions as a public assembly area; like an indoor park.
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Students, professionals, and families are free to loiter and sit on the floor and enjoy each
others company. F&B stalls and spaces are found around the hall and to really encourage
the use of the hall as a gathering space, these stalls do not offer dining pieces of furniture.
Meanwhile the hall features a skylight that brands the hall as an indoor public gathering
space. There was a relatively good acceptance from the public since the station is successful
In its prime, PNR Stations were designed and constructed in Spanish Colonial Style
Architecture. But with neglect and the decrease in demand for rail-based transportation,
these stations are left as unrecognizable remnants of the past. It is even more difficult to
appreciate railway stations as anything more than a necessary inconvenience for cheaper and
faster transport due to its generic aesthetic and ergonomic qualities. The challenge here is to
not only design an interchange hub that functions remarkably, but to also inject ancillary or
secondary purposes and or spaces that compliments to the needs of its users. Aesthetic and
Ultimately, the unacceptably substandard service and facilities of mass public transport lead
more people to procure their own private vehicles instead of relying to the earlier alternative.
This is a domino effect. Road widening projects are implemented almost encouraging people
to buy more private vehicles, and the gridlocks cripple both public and private road based
vehicles. Simply put, the solution is to regain public trust and attract the majority to rely on
mass public transport services, encouraging them to leave their private vehicles or alternatively
Project Goal
Manila through a premiere interchange hub using rail-based and road-based mass public
transportation.
Project Objectives
1. To promote the utilization of public transportation networks, and minimize the reliance
on privately owned motorized vehicles. To design a station that exemplifies the principles
2. To conceive a transport facility that can accommodate both present and future users,
visitors, and passengers. To design a station that can accommodate the increasing number
Urban multi-modal interchanges can only benefit the community by making public
transport more attractive and therefore more viable at the expense of private transport, as well
Environmental
and even more so encouraging recreational methods of transport such as walking and cycling.
The emergence of these transport facilities does not eliminate the negative environmental
impact of transportation since the cost of construction and manufacturing of materials are
prime contributors in CO2 emission. However, increasing the demand for public transportation
attracts users and passengers away from private vehicles. (Edwards, 2011)
Social
For a transport facility to be any more than what it is, it must first be functionally
impressive. In Manila transportation is always underplayed and society has grown used to it.
PNR is one of the key components into reclaiming the trust of the public in providing effective
and efficient railway transport. Architecture fundamentally is to provide a facility that could
Economic
vicinity. Interchange facilities also increase the business opportunities of its proximity and
the promotion and investment to exemplary design makes these facilities destinations for
The project shall include a conceptual masterplan, and phasing of the project, site
development plan including the details of both softscapes and hardscapes utilized in the
project.
The Grand Central Station will house: three railway networks: LRT-1 Extension,
North South Commuter Rail, and the North and South Long Haul, bus dock terminals, taxi
bays, cars, and non-motorized vehicles. The station shall also include publicly accessible
areas dedicated to transport oriented facilities and ancillary spaces. The administrative
department shall be included as well and other transport operations oriented spaces.
The main proponent for the project is the Philippine National Railways, which will
handle the management and operations of the North South Commuter Railways and Long
Haul. The project shall be funded by JICA while sub-constituents may include POPI and
ALI.
The detailed engineering drawings (DED) and railway alignments shall be based on
the feasibility studies and data presentations made by JICA. Modifications and changes
made specified at the as built shall not affect this projects progression. Information bound
within the feasibility study shall be limited and may be undisclosed in this book. However,
The Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, Sanitary (MEPS) layout presented shall also be
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within the detailed limits of architectural drawings. Load computations shall not be included.
Alignment- horizontal and vertical layouts to describe the line uniformity of the railway.
Feeder Transport- Transportation vehicles that brings passengers from an origin point to the
Green Design- Design methodologies that minimizes environmental impact. Most likely
measurable through LEED and Berde Certification and through the application of the
conditions of the site. Often this refers to utilization of sunlight, wind flow direction, natural
runoff, etc.
Right of Way- The legal right, established by usage or grant, to pass along a specific route