Book of Abstracts: July 2013 Paliwanagan sa UP Diliman July 2013 | Page 30

AVATAR: SENSITIVITY TOWARDS SITE AND CONTEXT
Grace Montemayor, Lea Ramos & Patrick Agpalza
The call center is also known as a ‘Contact Center’, a central hub of customer
service operations. Ironically, this Contact Center is not intact and often turns into
a hub of stressful and demanding work, which leads to a very unhealthy lifestyle
for its users. Faced with the challenge of creating a healthful and sustainable
workplace solution for call centers and other BPO establishments, a group of
designers from the College of Architecture turned to the concept of the AVATAR.
An avatar is a visual representation of a human being, a manifestation of his/her
appearance, thoughts and actions. Thus, the BPO is seen as the agents’ avatar –
a simulation of what is humane – as it connects people of various identities and
cultures.
AVATAR foregrounds three themes: Rewind, Replay, Reconnect.
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Replay – The design includes recreational spaces that help create a teambased environment. There is an Internet cafeteria featuring tables provided
with smart tablets; the tables can be rearranged so users may surf the Internet
and eat at the same time. Also provided are an Exercise Loop with small pods
for yoga and other activities, and a gym that is strategically located near the
locker areas, making it more convenient for employees to engage in health and
fitness activities.

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Art is technology, technology is art. “Artists treat facts as stimuli for the
imagination, while scientists use their imagination to coordinate facts” (Arthur
Koestler). Science and art are not polar opposites; rather, they are interlinked
and interdependent. UP Diliman is rich in examples of initiatives that fuse art
and technology to produce innovative solutions to problems confronting society.
These initiatives underscore how the University simultaneously harnesses art
and science to affirm its commitment to social responsibility & public.

Rewind – Inspired by the Filipinos’ ‘chill’ and colorful disposition, the interiors of
the CEO’s office were accented with punches of color, on top of a warm white
finish. Elements evoking childhood memories – such as the slinky, jackstones,
and trumpo – were integrated with the landscaping of the Play Garden.
Aquariums in front of each bed help night-shift agents to sleep soundly.

Reconnect – Instead of cube farms, workstations are designed as hexicubicles, making them more visible and more accessible to each other. This
setup thus promotes interaction among peers. Additionally, the central core
was designed to hold both Architectural/Engineering and Electronics breakout
spaces, in order to encourage friendly interaction between the two teams.

AVATAR won third place in the 2012 Alterchitecture, an interschool student
competition organized by the United Architects of the Philippines Student Auxiliary
in collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

Paliwanagan sa UP Diliman 57