Karinan de Sinukuan National Park – Integrating Wellness and Recreation in Redeveloping the Arayat National Park for Regenerative Architecture

           In a fast-changing world, progress and advancement is very evident in the physical characteristic and nature of an area or location. Increase in number of facilities such as commercial establishments, skyscrapers brought by new technologies, and increase in transportation is an indication of growth for an urban development (Planning Tank, 2020). This growth and advancement in an area is beneficial in economic development as it produces opportunities and employment. On the other hand, rapid development growth strains environment and people because of the growing density of man and structures. A growing community or city can experience problem of overpopulation, pollution and stress towards people (Planning Tank, 2020). The relation between people and its environment is important as in some cases environmental factors impact physical well-being and even more on mental wellness by changing brain structure and function (Lindberg, 2023). In a growing community of bustling environment and most of the people are busy and stress, it is important to have a place where people can connect to nature and relax. This justifies the significance of wellness and recreation centers in the society. Recreation centers hold a vital role in managing stress and entertainment for the people in the society. This structure became an essential part of a community where people can interact, socialize, engage in different activities and relax (Ogunjana, 2023). Same as the recreation centers, it is almost always accompanied by wellness centers. This structures also holds an equal importance to the people because they both helps to relieve stressors of work and life. In history recreation became a huge part to people although historians do not often take consideration of this topic it will always holds an importance in today’s modern world (Cymru, 2020). 

        Mt. Arayat is one of the most precious gifts that the natures bestowed not only in Arayat but in the whole province of Pampanga, Philippines. It homes numerous flora and fauna and provide natural resources to the people in its vicinity. With its lush vegetation, fresh air and natural cold water from streams and small falls, it is an ideal location for relaxation and recuperation for well-being of people. With the demand for a recreation and wellness center along with the existing project of Mt. Arayat National Park Resort, this project aimed to redesign a complex for wellness and recreational activities.      

          The Arayat National Park is a resort at San Juan Bano Arayat Pampanga,Philippines, it comprises of small villas, commercial stalls, function halls, social spaces, amenities and pools that utilizes the falls and water from the upstream of the mountain. On the other hand, in spite of the current working layout and planning of the resort there are still a lot of room for improvement and could be change in order to improve the efficiency and use of land for the greater good. This improvement includes the uplifting of green elements for the sustainability and regenerative aspect of the development. This includes changing of layout of the current resort, materials that have been used and the different elements that’s been utilized. The main goal of this redevelopment is to create  a recreational and wellness center which will be called Karinan de Sinukuan National Park as the new version of the existing park. This wellness and recreational facilities will heed to the call of people for rest and rejuvenation. A recreation and wellness center for physical and mental relaxation that is away from loud and restless nature of the world.  With this redevelopment, National Park will not only be beautified and improved but it may also help in more green and regenerative functioning of the resort.