UP and Lafarge launch competition to redefine Filipino green housing

MANILA, Nov. 9 (PNA) - The UP College of Architecture and Lafarge Cement Services (Philippines) Inc. Friday launched a history-making competition for all architects and architecture students to help create a truly environmentally sustainable middle-class homes.

A joint undertaking between UPCA and LCSPI, the competition wants to encourage architects to adapt universal green design concepts to something that is more relevant, appropriate and practicable to tropical Filipino homes.

The open competition is aptly dubbed "Ang Pinakamagandang Bahay sa Balat ng Lupa" (the most beautiful house on the face of the earth) and is open to all registered architects and architecture students.

Dean Danilo A. Silvestre of the UP College of Architecture said the competition title reflects the aim to redefine the concept of a "beautiful house" so that it integrates environmental sustainability with the essential principles of aesthetics, functionality and structural soundness.

Prof. Nicolo del Castillo, chair of the competition committee further elaborates "The house that will be most beautiful will be the one with the most good or sustainable concepts invested in it and is closest to the true way of living of Filipinos."

"Most of middle-class homes are patterned after homes in the US or Europe which are designed to keep out extreme cold, accommodate four seasons and other environmental considerations. We must create designs that reflect the needs of a tropical environment and the Filipino way of life." Del Castillo said.

LCSPI CEO Samir Cairae said that Lafarge is proud of being part of the project because it provides a meaningful way of promoting sustainable architecture while involving the participation of an important sector in creating greener living environments-- architects."

The competition has two categories—professional and student. Team entries are also welcome. Registration begins on October 27 and ends November 27.

The competition will be for the complete architectural design of a low-medium income-housing unit to be constructed on a 200-square meter lot in the UP-Diliman Campus. Each competition category will be assigned its own lot. The parameters of the design problem are:

-- The house would serve the needs of a family of a maximum of five persons.

-- House design may be a starter house that can be adapted to meet the needs of a typical family as it grows and contracts as the children grow and then eventually leave home.

-- The cost of the house should be within the range of P750,000 – the maximum affordable economic housing loan of PAG-IBIG.

Submission of entries will be on February 28, 2009. Winning designs of each category will be eventually used by UP-Diliman for its faculty and staff housing. Winners will be officially announced between March 20 to 23, 2009.

Cash prizes, award plaques and additionally for the first prize winner, a design contract, will be awarded to the first, second and third prize winners. Honorable mentions may be awarded depending on the jury's discretion.