Lafarge presents Buensalido’s beautiful house

THE country has faced enormous typhoons, landslides and earthquakes that urged Filipino architects, builders and developers to unite. Filipinos need a house design that would fit perfectly for the constant change of our environment.

Lafarge Cement Services Philippines Inc., together with the University of the Philippines (UP) - College of Architecture and Wilcon Home Builders, recently unveiled “Pinkamagandang Bahay sa Balat ng Lupa” (PMBBL), a house which puts innovation at the heart of its design and redefines what a beautiful house is for Filipinos.

The competition was first launched by Lafarge and UP in 2009. The contest challenged Filipino architects to submit blueprints featuring new concepts of what makes a magandang bahay (beautiful house) that takes into account adaptability to the local climate and lifestyle. Out of 79 entries, Arch. John Patrick “Jason” Buensalido of Buensalido and Associates, one of the country’s leading architecture firms, bested the competition with a design reflecting the Filipino’s creative spirit.

From sketch to reality, Buensalido constructed his design inside the UP-Diliman Campus, which occupied a 200-sqm lot. Following a modular design that allows the structure and its functions to be adaptive to its inhabitants’ needs, the house allows homeowners further personalization through a secondary skin feature, which is both a protective and aesthetic element. The house has been designed as an elevated structure, sitting atop stilts to help protect families from floods. Additional features include wide jalousie windows that maximize access to natural light and ventilation; wide eaves for solar protection; rainwater harvesting and recycling facilities; and the use of eco-friendly products such as Lafarge Republic Portland Plus cement with “Tibay Enhancers”, compact-fluorescent lamps, low flow or dual-flush toilet fixtures and insulated wall systems.

According to Buensalido, the house costs more than P2.0 million and within three days, the twenty contactors finished the house. The house is composed of a living room, two bedrooms, dining room with kitchen, one toilet and bathroom, which is perfect for a family of four.

“It’s good that we are now starting to think and design what is suitable for our country. This gives confidence to Filipino architects to produce designs that are more fit for our country, given that the Philippines is susceptible to six out of seven possible major disasters in the world,” said UP president Alfredo Pascual. He also cited that the project is a hallmark for partnerships between industry and the academe, saying that “knowledge borne out of this project is something we can share and present to developers around the country.”

One of the reasons why the company started the project was not only to encourage local architects to produce innovative and sustainable designs but also to demonstrate that Lafarge is more than a supplier of building materials.

“We provide construction solutions for stronger and long-lasting buildings and infrastructure,” said Lafarge Republic, Inc. president Renato Sunico. “Thus, we committed to provide the funds for the construction of the winning professional design.”

In the five years since the competition was launched, Lafarge has adopted impactful initiatives in its business operations that affirm its commitment to innovation and the environment. Making strong progress in making its products sustainable, Lafarge Republic, Inc. is the only cement manufacturer in the Philippines, which produces blended cement using fly ash—a key component of the “Tibay Enhancers” that is in every bag of the national Lafarge Republic brand. The use of high quality fly ash, a by-product of coal-fired power plants, significantly reduces the carbon footprint of the production process. The resulting product increases the strength and durability of concrete, while also providing workability and a smoother finish.

Most recently, Lafarge Republic Inc. showed support for Post-Yolanda rehabilitation initiatives in Northern Cebu through the construction of homes in partnership with Habitat for Humanity for displaced families that are also disaster-resilient.