Plastic has become an important part of people’s everyday life because of its convenience, affordability, and durability. However, these same qualities have contributed to the growing problem of plastic waste mismanagement, particularly in rapidly urbanizing regions such as Region IV-A. Within Laguna de Bay, the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, increasing sightings of plastic waste and microplastics reveal how local waste practices continue to affect the lake’s ecological condition. While policies, facilities, and local government initiatives exist, long-term waste management efforts remain challenged by the disengagement of local communities, competing socio-economic priorities, misconceptions, and limited inter-barangay collaboration.

This undergraduate thesis investigates how architecture can respond to the lack of community participation in sustainable plastic waste management. The study proposes a network of clustered micro-architectural interventions situated within community contexts around Laguna de Bay. Rooted in phenomenological experiences and informed by Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the project aims to create spatial encounters that raise awareness, encourage participation, and support behavioral shifts toward proper plastic waste practices. Rather than treating architecture solely as a physical infrastructure, the thesis positions it as a social and experiential medium that can influence perception, routine, and collective action.

The SDP Map further highlights how the proposed intervention can strengthen inter-barangay collaboration by developing contextual architectural nodes and circulation paths that respond to the identity, movement, and needs of local communities, while transforming waste management from an imposed responsibility into a shared community experience for long-term participation in protecting Laguna de Bay from plastic pollution.