Thesis (BS Architecture) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, 2008

The main objective of the thesis project was to find architectural solutions for the sustainability and productivity of the build environment of traditional technology-based Post Harvest Facility. The research design used in the study was descriptive method. Through conducting case studies on selected households in Barangay Kapatagan of Digos City and some post harvest facilities like Pack House, Washing Stalls, and Trading Posts in the marketplaces, the researcher was able to determine and evaluate the traditional practices on handling vegetables produce in the vegetable industry of Barangay Kapatagan. The results showed that the traditional post harvest practices in the area involve classifying, grading and packing. Storing commodities was not at all practiced since the produce were marketed right away after the harvest. In the existing post harvest facilities of Davao Metro Circle, there was an inadequacy of the existing post harvest facilities in terms of the comfort and productivity of the operators. In order to determine traditional storage that would sustain the thesis project, secondary sources were used as basis for the most often used traditional storage techniques of vegetable produce such as clamp and ground pit storage. The traditional concepts gathered from the practices and the architectural issues determined from the existing facilities were then utilized in the designing process. As a result, the project concept was developed through incorporating the ground pit development mechanism derived from the traditional concept of storing produce. This mechanism involves ditching concept, basal ventilator concept, and shelf concept that could be translated as building systems of the facility. As an architectural translation, the Subterranean Architecture was incorporated in the building design, in which, half of the building was submerged to the ground. This would generate ground cool air to maintain thermal comfort (the main Architectural issue) inside the facility.