Architectural Design 1-8 – Lecture 1: Development Controls

Codes
1. Presidential Decree 1096 (PD 1096) – National Building Code of the Philippines
2. Republic Act 9266 (RA 9266) – The Architecture Act of 2004
3. Batas Pambansa 344 (BP 344) - Accessibility Law
4. Republic Act 9154 (RA 9154) - Fire Code of the Philippines
5. Republic Act 1378 (RA 1378) - National Plumbing Code of the Philippines
Development Controls

Name Abbreviation Meaning

Total Lot Area TLA Total Lot Area of the
site
Percentage Site Occupancy PSO Same as AMBF but in
percentage (%) form
Allowable Maximum Building Footprint AMBF Same as PSO but in
numerical form
Total Open Space within Lot TOSL Combined ISA and USA
Impervious Surface Area ISA Hardscapes
Unpaved Surface Area USA Softscapes
Maximum Allowable Construction Area MACA
Building Height Limit BHL Height limit
Allowable Maximum Volume of Building AMVB
Floor-Area Ratio FLAR
Gross Floor Area GFA Total floor space within
the perimeter of
permanent external
building walls
Total Gross Floor Area TGFA GFA plus other
enclosed areas such as
parking area or
driveways

Step Instructions
TLA If given, then skip this step.
 If not given, select one of the two:
1. TLA = PSO + TOSL; then TLA = 100%
2. TLA = AMBF + TOSL
Lot Dimensions or Lot Check Table VIII.1, particularly Figure VIII.2 - Figure
Type VIII.8.
Occupancy and Zoning Check Rule VII, PD 1096; First Table VII.1.

Occupancy is the use of the building while zoning is the

lot utilization.
Firewall Check if the project requires a firewall.
AMBF/PSO Select one of the three:
1. Table VII.1 (2nd Table) for PSO & BHL
2. Table VIII.1 - Reference Table for Development
Controls
3. Table VIII.G.6 - TOSL (use transposition PSO =
TLA – TOSL, expressed in percentage. TLA will
always be 100%)
4. Table VIII.2 or Table VIII.3. – Use setbacks and
subtract the TLA
5. Figure VIII.2 to Figure VIII.11 – Lot Types
Setbacks See Table VIII.2 or Table VIII.3.
ISA/USA See Table VIII.1.
TOSL Select one of the two:
1. TOSL = ISA + USA
2. TOSL = TLA – AMBF
MACA Select one of the two:
1. MACA = PSO + ISA
2. MACA = AMBF + ISA
BHL Select one of the two:
1. Table VII.1 (2nd Table)
2. Table VII.2 of PD 1096

To find the stringent value of BHL, if given is maximum

value then find lowest value. If given is minimum value
then find greatest value.
Established Grade Check Section 707

Slope = Rise/Run
AMVB Initial AMVB = AMBF * BHL (expressed in meters)
Final AMVB = Initial AMVB – Volume Slope of Angular
Plane
FLAR Check Table VII.G.1 of PD 1096.
GFA GFA = TLA * FLAR

Note: It excludes parking areas, vertical penetrations, and

uncovered areas such as roof decks and laundry areas.
Basically, everything without cover is excluded.
TGFA Select one of the three:
1. TGFA = BHL Number of Floors * AMBF
2. TGFA = GFA * Multiplier in Table VII.G.2
3. TGFA = (BHL Number of Floors * AMBF) - Area to
be deducted by incremental setbacks
Sidewalk Width Rule VIII. Guidelines on Sidewalks
Sidewalks of 2m or more in width shall include on its outer
side of a planting strip of not less than 0.8 meters in
width up to a maximum of 1/3 of allowed sidewalk width.

Check Table VIII.G.4.

Minimum Planting Strip Check Table VIII.G.5.
Width by RROW Width
Outermost Limits of Horizontal projections must not exceed 60% of the
Building Projection prescribed setback.
Parking On-Site Parking: inside the site
Off-Site Parking: provided within the property line of a
separate site in which the project is not located.
Off-Street Parking: outside of RROW and site at the
same time

Parking Dimensions:
1. Perpendicular/Diagonal Parking – 2.50 x 5.00 meters
2. Parallel Parking – 2.15 x 6.00 meters
3. Jeepney Parking – 3.00 x 9.00 meters
4. Trucks & Buses – 3.60 x 12.00 meters
5. Articulated Trucks – 3.60 x 18.00 meters
6. Disabled Parking – 3.70 x 5.00 meters

Check Table VII.4 for Minimum On-site cum Off-Street

Parking Requirements by Type of Use. Excess value of
parking space above 50% is considered 1 slot.
Occupant Load Check Table XII.1 for occupant loads.

Occupant Load = Floor Area / Unit Area per Occupant

Transition Ramp Slope. Ramp slopes must not exceed 20% or 1:5 (i.e.
vehicular ramp slope should not be greater than 20%)

For slopes greater than 1:10 or 10%, a transition of at

least 2.40 m is required at each end of the ramp at ½ the
slope of the ramp. (i.e. if ramp slope is 20%, transition
ramps should be ½ of 20%=10%)

Slope Formula = Height / Slope

Example:
Floor-to-Floor Height: 3.20 meters
a. Ramp Slope 1:5 or 20%
Transition Ramp Slope = (20% / 2) = 10%
Transition Ramp Height = (2.4m / 10) = 0.24m
Total Ramp Length = {[3.20m–(0.24x 2)]x
5}+{2.4x2}=13.6+4.8=18.4m

b. Ramp Slope 1:8 or 12.5%

Transition Ramp Slope = (12.5% / 2) = 6.25% or
1:16 slope
Transition Ramp Height = (2.4m / 16) = 0.24m
Total Ramp Length = {[3.20m-(0.15x 2)]x
8}+{2.4x2}=23.2+4.8=28.0m

c. Ramp Slope 1:10 or 10%

Ramp total length: (3.2m x 10)= 32.0m or (3.2m /
(1/10)) = 32.0m
Sample Problems
1. A young couple has decided that its R-1 zoned property (the “Project Site”) with a
Total Lot Area of 240 square meters and located in a subdivision in Quezon City
shall host a low-rise single detached residential building (the “Project”).The Project
Site is an inside lot with a 12 meters wide frontage facing west. The project site
uniformly slopes at 2% towards the 8 meter wide street in effect the road right of
way (RROW) that is also relatively flat (at a slope of 1%) and which has 1.2 m wide
sidewalks for both sides. The surface of the sidewalks at the center of the Project
Site frontage is considered elevation 0.0.
a. What is the Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF) for the Project
b. What is the Allowable Percentage of Site Occupancy (PSO) for the Project
c. What is the Maximum Allowable Building Height (BHL) for the Project?

2. A young investor has decided that its C-1 zoned property (the “Project Site”) with
a total lot area (TLA) of 1440 square meters shall host a 5 storey commercial
building. (the “Project”) The Project Site is an inside-through lot with a 60 m wide
frontage facing north and south. The project site uniformly slopes at 0% towards
the 15 meters wide street on both sides i.e. the road right of way (RROW) that is
also relatively flat (at a slope of 1%) and which has 1.2 m wide sidewalks at each
side. The surface of the sidewalk at the center of the Project Site frontage is
considered as elevation 0.0 m.
a. What is the Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF) for the Project?
b. What is the Allowable Percentage of Site Occupancy (PSO) for the Project?
c. What is the Maximum Allowable Building Height (BHL) for the Project?

3. A young couple has decided that its Basic R-2 zoned property (the “Project Site”)
with a Total Lot Area of 240 square meters and located in a subdivision in
Quezon City shall host a low-rise 2 storey single attached residential building (the
“Project”). The Project Site is an inside lot with a 12 meters wide frontage facing
west. The project site uniformly slopes at 2% towards the 8 meter wide street i.e.
the road right of way (RROW) that is also relatively flat (at a slope of 1%) and
which has 1.2 m wide sidewalks for both sides. The surface of the sidewalks at
the center of the Project Site frontage is considered elevation 0.0.
a. What is the Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF) for the Project is
the building shall have a firewall?
b. What is the Allowable Percentage of Site Occupancy (PSO) for the Project if
the building shall have a firewall?

4. A young couple has decided that its R-4 zoned property (the “Project Site”) with a
Total Lot Area of 300 square meters and located in a subdivision in Quezon City
shall host a low-rise residential townhouse (the “Project”).The Project Site is an
inside lot with a 15 meters wide frontage facing west. The project site uniformly
slopes at 2% towards the 10 meter carriageway that is also relatively flat (at a
slope of 1%) and which has 1.2 m wide sidewalks for each side. The surface of
the sidewalks at the center of the Project Site frontage is considered elevation
0.0.
a. What is the Allowable Maximum Building Footprint (AMBF) for the Project is
the building shall have a firewall?
b. What is the Allowable Percentage of Site Occupancy (PSO) for the Project if
the building shall have a firewall?