Rethinking Architecture: Filipino Researchers Propose Groundbreaking Framework Linking Urban Design to Microbial Health

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

What if the way we design our homes, schools, and offices could shape the microscopic world we live in—and, in turn, our own health? A groundbreaking study by a team of Filipino researchers dares to ask this question, offering a radical new perspective on how architecture and microbiology can intersect to transform urban living.

In the heart of Metro Manila, where concrete and climate co-exist in a delicate balance, a group of visionaries is challenging how we think about the spaces we inhabit. Their pioneering study, led by architecture graduate Ma. Beatrice Villoria of De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, puts forward a revolutionary framework that bridges architectural design and urban microbiome research. And what started as a lone thesis project has evolved into a multidisciplinary movement, drawing expertise from architecture, microbiology, engineering, and environmental science.

At its core, the study unpacks a powerful truth: built environments are living ecosystems. Every wall, every window, every breath shared indoors influences the microbial communities—bacteria, fungi, and viruses—that silently shape our health. While modern architecture often strives for sterile efficiency, this research dares to embrace the invisible life that thrives among us.

“We often design buildings without considering how they affect microbial presence,” Villoria shared. “But when we begin to understand that architecture can host, foster, or disrupt microbial ecosystems, we unlock the potential to design for health—not just aesthetics or function.”

Villoria partnered with a powerhouse of collaborators: Dr. Vina Argayosa of UP Diliman’s Natural Sciences Research Institute, Angelo Rosalinas of Ove Arup & Partners Hong Kong Limited – Philippines Branch, Daniel Nichol Valerio of De La Salle University, Christian Lyle La Madrid of LLUID, and Michael Xavier Ticzon of Fundamental Design Experts. Together, they sought to create a conceptual framework that could convert microbial data into usable architectural design tools—an unprecedented attempt in Philippine research.

Their work centers on a deceptively simple question: how do ventilation, window size, and human occupancy affect microbial presence in indoor spaces? Using the National Building Code of the Philippines—specifically, its standards for minimum habitable rooms—the team conducted three experiments in Metro Manila using passive air sampling. Bacteria and fungi were collected and analyzed across different conditions, revealing how even slight variations in window size or foot traffic significantly influenced indoor microbial populations.

A photo of Petri dishes from the study vividly captures the invisible drama unfolding in our built environments—tiny colonies of microbes blooming in response to air, architecture, and movement. “It’s like we’re seeing everyday spaces through a microscopic lens,” said Dr. Argayosa. “This is the kind of shift in thinking that urbanized societies urgently need.”

But this isn’t just about the Philippines. The framework has global relevance, adaptable to any country’s building codes and climate conditions. Tropical nations, for example, deal with high humidity and heat, which directly affect microbial growth. “Each country has its own standards and environmental challenges,” Villoria explained. “That’s why our goal is to offer a framework others can localize and refine—whether they’re in Europe, Africa, or Asia.”

The proposed model doesn’t stop at small rooms. The team encourages future researchers to expand this framework to include different types of spaces—from schools and offices to entire urban zones. “We need to start small, identify patterns, and scale up,” Villoria emphasized. “Eventually, this data could inform how we zone cities or design high-occupancy structures.”

And what’s the endgame? A world where design doesn’t just shelter us—but heals us. Imagine cities that breathe with us, buildings that support microbial diversity beneficial to human health, and urban planning that factors in not just air flow, but microbial ecology. As Dr. Argayosa poignantly noted, “We don’t often realize it, but we are surrounded by microbes. They live in us, on us, and all around us. Awareness is the first step—but what we do with that awareness is what could change everything.”

The team’s study, titled “Integrating building code to microbial count studies in urban built spaces with ventilation and human presence: a model,” is now published in Frontiers in Built Environment—a journal dedicated to sustainable methodologies in architectural design and infrastructure. It marks the beginning of a new era in design thinking: one where walls talk—and microbes answer.

In a world still reeling from pandemics and urban pollution, this Filipino-led initiative signals hope. It’s not just about what we build anymore—it’s about how what we build interacts with the unseen worlds within.

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