REAL-ESTATE prices in the Philippines have been going up and property investors and developers alike have been aggressive in addressing this, especially since land is scarce in Metro Manila.
There has been a significant increase in the supply of condominiums and other vertical residential developments, and it seems this trend will continue in the next few years. Practically, every property developer is out there in search of more land and more opportunities to sell their products. A look at the market will reveal all sorts of investment propositions and condo units are selling like hotcakes due to the very tempting amortization schemes each developer is offering.
The challenge in the coming years is how to integrate tropical architecture in vertical residential developments. The Philippines is situated in an extremely tropical region of the world where hot and humid days are the norm throughout the year, with rains intermittently providing a respite from the heat. Oftentimes, a client would ask our office to design a home that is open and breezy and “resort-like,” often citing that they want their home to be an oasis from the nonstop heat and the burst of heavy rains.
Homeowners have, of course, the privilege of building their dream home according to their tastes and the climate. But when it comes to high-rise condominiums, curtain walls and glass windows are often employed to give the illusion of space, but this allows heat to penetrate into the building and oftentimes unit owners result to blackout drapes if only to keep the heat out.
What if the next generation of vertical residentials were designed for tropics? If property developers in Singapore or some other tropical country recognize the need to design and build with the environment in mind, why can’t we follow suit? Is it because of cost? Perhaps developers here need to realize they are designing and building for new lifestyles, and the demand for vertical residentials could increase even more if what’s on offer are properly designed and address the realities of our tropical environment.
Here are five elements that property developers ought to consider the next time they sit down with their architect of choice:
WIDE EAVES, ROOF UMBRELLAS, BALCONIES
The sun is everywhere. Wide eaves, roof umbrellas and balconies serve as a first line of defense from the sun and the heat. The shadows cast by these elements prevent heat from reaching the interiors of the building, especially on the higher floors, while allowing natural light to enter. These are also extra floor space that allows you to enjoy the outdoors even in a high rise unit. As Architects Wong and Hassell put it: “The slab of the upper floor serves as a giant umbrella.” The provision of a tropical “table top” protects the lower floors below.
GREEN BUILDING AND VERTICAL GARDENS
There is a shortage of garden spaces in vertical communities, but such should be given considerable weight in vertical residentials. These gardens are the lungs of the building as the greens filter dirty air and carbon monoxide from the environment. Vertical gardens also bring warmth and softness to an otherwise cold and monolithic structure. Vertical gardens serve as an “archiscape” as the building supports the landscape and vice-versa.
CLUSTERS AND CONNECTIONS, LIGHT WELLS AND CROSS VENTILATION
The light supplied by the sun is a good thing—if the heat could be separated from it. Also, the abundant supply of wind from the amihan and habagat gives the Philippines a year-round supply of circulating air. Allowing cross ventilation to enter the unit is also refreshing. This is achieved by having at least two or more sides open to the wind for it to be able to circulate inside the space.
In the same manner, light is able to enter in abundance if there are a lot of windows on various sides of the unit. Both instances make for energy-efficient, as they allow natural light and air to enter the rooms.
INTEGRATION OF EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR SPACE
Due to the limited space of a condo, functional space must be multiuse and multipurpose. Imagine a condo high up with views of a green wall on the exterior and interiors that are closely linked with nature, thus blurring the lines of the spaces. The use of natural and sustainable materials also play an important factor in the reduction of the carbon footprint. How the interior is integrated with the exterior will also allow the opportunity for children to be exposed to gardens and the natural environment around them even if they live in a very urban setting.
BRISE SOLEILS/SUN SCREENS
I consider this the other line of defense from the tropical heat. Not only do these provide an interesting composition in the architectural design and treatment of the building but may also cover utility areas and service areas.
They also serve as shade, decreasing the amount of heat that enters the building and also reducing power cost for air-conditioning. The shadows that these sun screens create at different times of the day may also help reduce heat entering curtain walls and floor-to-ceiling glass window panels.
It is true that there should always be a balance between cost and design. One hopes that builders and designers will be inspired to think more about how the new way of life they offer will affect the end users, and how new buildings can better adapt to our place under the sun. Mixing and matching these five elements and responding to various environmental issues will provide for an efficient yet interesting building design that is cost-efficient and sustainable in the long run.