Play Safe?

Ever since we enter

an architecture school, we were always taught the basic dos and don'ts to produce a design that will essentially fit the local context. Hence, as years passes by, the study of codes will be in consideration to create limits and boundaries of these outputs.

Questions got me in dilemma - will these have me in a safe place, or will it compromise my creative juices to flow over time? Architecture schools from abroad such as SCI-Arc, known to be the top architecture in the world, do not study International and Local building codes. This is because they're up for creativity and critical thinking first, and then study their local building codes at the practice itself. This architecture program leads them to be the world's top-performing architecture school, higher than Harvard and MIT.

So, why do we study the National Building Code of the Philippines? I have listed some of my opinions based on my perspectives;

Basic Rules for Safety

We study the codes extensively to give us some basic rules for safety. These listed codes and laws were studied for so many years by the professionals by then and were practiced to implement safer and quality designs.

Serve as Guidance

Architects need something where they can base their plans, designs and other related studies. NBC plays a huge role as a 'bible' of the architects, and other construction professionals.

Right Process

It also serves as a quality check of all the works we're doing. Be it, architects, or students, we all rely on the right process given by the NBC for which we may know where we are, and what are the things we might leave behind.

It's quite obvious that the National Building Code of the Philippines is truly essential in the study of our field, and is something we should consider in planning and designing buildings. However, will it be a limit to being creative? Will it set the boundaries 'reaching beyond the limits'? If you'll ask me, I'll say 'yes'. Playing safe is advisable, especially inside the four corners of the room.

Let us not forget being bounded by those that set our designs into safety, and let's be creative inside these setbacks. A wise architect once said - "A great designer knows when to break the rules, and that's what sets him apart."