A team from Mapúa University’s School of Architecture, Industrial Design, and The Built Environment topped the leading cement maker Holcim Philippines, Inc.’s sustainable design contest with a proposal for building spacious and cost-efficient public schools that are more conducive for learning.
Senior Mapúa Architecture students Dexter Pangan, Czarrina Hernandez, Kendrick Supnet, and Erik Joshua Isip bagged the top spot in the 2019 Young Builders Challenge (YBC) with Haraya: A New Typology for K-12 Schools, which proposes a playful school layout to enhance learners’ experience though active social interaction. The proposed project also aims to reduce construction and maintenance costs through by using renewable local materials.
“We realize that schools’ design lack some elements that would make it more conducive for learning and encouraging students’ imagination. We believe that by creating better facilities, we can provide better education for students. I am so happy that our team got this opportunity to share our ideas through this competition. I consider our win as a wake-up call for future builders on how important it is to focus on sustainable construction, as well as in promoting education,” Supnet said.
The Mapúa students topped 13 other entries from eight schools all over the country. They received a Php80,000 prize and Php20,000 for their school.
Meanwhile, juniors Marc Joseph Espino and Cheaster Marie Seville of University of the Philippines-Diliman College of Architecture won second place with a proposal for a modular and lightweight concrete house that is highly replicable and can easily adapt to the changing needs of the urban poor.
Ben John Basco, Christian Barrameda, and Paulo Piolino of Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Institute of Science & Technology-College of Architecture and Fine Arts (EARIST-CAFA), bagged the third spot for a prototype coastal community center that would act as a base of operations for evacuation during storm surges.
Holcim Philippines Vice President for Communications Cara Ramirez commended the winners and all the participants for the outstanding design concepts the contest received from across the country.
“Sustainability has never been more imperative than now. It is important to instill this mindset to our future builders during their formative stage. We are glad to receive remarkable ideas from our future builders through this competition,” added Ramirez.
Holcim President and CEO John Stull also noted that “these proposals inspire us to continue advocating sustainable construction among our next generation of builders. The YBC is a testament that our young builders are capable of generating ideas that can benefit our society, leading to a more sustainable future.”
Inspired by the “Next Generation” category of the global design contest LafargeHolcim Awards for Sustainable Construction, the Young Builders Challenge aims to encourage aspiring builders to have a more holistic approach to building encouraging them to ensure projects not just economically viable but also environmentally and socially beneficial.