‘Build Forward’ search for disaster-resilient home, school design ongoing

MANILA, Philippines - Property developer Ortigas & Co., has extended the registration deadline of their nationwide “Build Forward” design contest for architectural students to come up with the best design for a disaster-resilient home and school building.

In an announcement issued Feb. 14, Ortigas & Co., said it has extended its deadline for web registration via the www.buildforward.com.ph  website to up to Feb. 28, from the original Feb. 14.

“Build Forward is encouraging more young talents to help realize the tripartite’s goal of creating an affordable, climate adaptive house prototype that would be used by Habitat for Humanity in its rebuild efforts across Visayas,” Ortigas & Co., said.

“Purveyors of Build Forward have been going around colleges and universities to urge architecture students to be part of the stimulating design competition, giving them a platform to achieve recognition before exiting the walls of their campuses,” the firm said.

Under the adjusted schedule, the last day of submission of entries will be on March 28, the announcement of shortlisted design is on April 25, and the announcement of winning designs on May 28, 2014.

Ortigas & Co., had partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and Habitat for Humanity, for the Build Forward competition, launched last Jan. 28.

DOST Secretary Mario Montejo expressed the commitment of the DOST to participate in the evaluation of the home and school building designs to be submitted by students who will participate, and even in building a prototype of the winning designs and conducting durability tests on the prototype home and school building.

Habitat for Humanity will adopt the best designs to be generated by the competition.

The DOST is currently part of the government effort to come up with disaster-resilient housing especially in the Eastern Visayas region that was battered by super typhoon Yolanda. 

Ortigas’ parameters of the design to be submitted are: The house should be at least 36 square meters with two bedrooms, one toilet and bath, kitchen, and living space. Construction time should be a month and a half within a budget of P200,000.00. The school building should have four classrooms and one toilet and bath with a minimum area of 63 square meters per classroom. Construction time should just be two months with a budget of P1,200,000.00, with the design allowing versatility for the school to become an evacuation center in times of crisis situations.

This January, Ortigas has officially opened an online registration facility (www.buildforward.com.ph) for the full set of mechanics.