WHEN was the last time you had to transact business in your town hall? Whether you go there to pay your taxes or renew your license, the transaction can be either a rewarding, hassle-free chore or a traumatic, frustrating and time-consuming experience.

To a large extent the quality of our transactions can be directly traced to the way the physical facilities are planned and designed.

Building types

Let’s start with the classification of this building type. To simplify, I would classify them into three. The first type is old and antiquated type. The second has undergone retrofitting or renovations. The third, which is becoming more popular, is all new and built along either modern or classical lines.

• Old building type. This type is not difficult to find as they are in both urban and rural areas. Some of these buildings were constructed at the turn of the century. The first impression you get is that it’s badly maintained and needs sprucing up. It usually needs some repairs, especially in the public areas.

• Retrofitted building type. This type is slightly better than the first. Once inside, you notice an attempt to “modernize” the interiors with more expensive finish. What it cannot conceal though, is the poor layout of the rooms as more and more offices are haphazardly added to accommodate the municipality’s expanding needs.

• New building type. This is a most interesting type. It is normally characterized by a “grand look” intended to impress visitors. It attempts to look like a classic European building or a modern glass tower.

So what’s wrong with them?

Areas for improvement

Let’s examine them as a whole. Town halls are service buildings and as such must respond to the needs of their occupants, such as the officials, workers and their daily visitors. Let’s review what we consider areas for improvement in some town halls.

• Parking areas. Most of the spaces are either reserved or used by the town hall’s VIPs and personnel. Parking spaces for visitors, mostly taxpayers, are either minimal or nonexistent.
A lot of stress for visitors can be greatly reduced if parking facilities are provided for them.

• Poor layout. Next you walk through a maze of corridors with leaky window-type air-conditioners sticking out of walls, with plastic hoses draining into plastic cans. This is not only dangerous; it also poses a health risk for people who pass by the hallways. This is the result of poor planning.

Courtrooms are cramped, ill designed and dimly lit to handle court proceedings.

• Public areas and facilities. Many official transactions are done in hallways through a small porthole in glass windows that are inconvenient. Trying to catch the attention of clerks is difficult when transactions are done through these communication barriers.

Wouldn’t it be better if the public had direct access to office clerks and received in comfortable guest chairs?

One common area that needs improvement is the waiting area because most people have to wait for a long time for papers to be processed.

There are some exceptional agencies that treat their tax-paying citizens well. Their waiting areas have comfortable chairs and are air-conditioned and well lit. The circulation routes are easy to navigate because they’re well planned.

Many public restrooms are not properly maintained and often there is no water.

Recently I had a chance to pass by a new town hall in the suburbs. It looked very impressive but it was completely air-conditioned and all the windows were fixed – in the entire building. Operable windows can be used for some public areas like stairways and corridors to allow natural ventilation and save energy.

Building planning and design have a tremendous effect on personnel work performance and office productivity.

What can be done?

The town hall is an urban focal point; it gives a sense of stability or displays its lack. People like to see it as welcoming and secure.

Mayors should become champions for good design, efficient planning and cleanliness. This will drive the town’s transformation.

A consultative approach with citizen involvement will help safeguard the integrity of the project design so it does not fall victim to politics around the project. Making sure that the project follows the budget and completion time will prevent political tussles.

Security may be assured through separate circulation systems for town hall staff and the public. Evacuation plans, lighting, landscaping and well-designed planters and bollards are also effective.

The standard of 200 kilowatt-hours per square meter per year energy use for offices is the benchmark in the Asean region. It would be worthwhile, if not urgent, for top officials in the town hall to closely monitor their energy consumption.

For comments or inquiries, e-mail amadodejesus@gmail.com.