AN Italian architect with an interest in green energy and sustainable architecture wants to craft master plans to rebuild Leyte and other parts of Eastern Visayas that were hardest hit by Supertyphoon Yolanda
Nati, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Italpinas Euroasian Design and Eco-Development Corp
(ITPI), is willing to work with local engineers in affected areas to build storm-resistant urban centers
The Italian head of ITPI has partnered with Constellation Energy Corp
, (CEC)which has expanded its business from green energy to the design and development of sustainable buildings
CEC has contracts with the Department of Energy for several geothermal, wind and hydroelectric projects
The plan includes proper zoning or concentrating living spaces in higher areas, in places 50 meters to 100 meters above sea level
On civil works component, he stressed the importance to build dikes and storm walls, as well as drainage channels to facilitate the flow of storm waters into the sea
“For buildings, we can also adopt what I call the ‘Aikido strategy,’ that includes adopting features that minimize the opposition of strong winds and storm waters,” Nati said
Aikido is a Japanese martial art in which practitioners don’t oppose their attackers head on but instead flow with the motion of the attacker to redirect the force of the attack
Among these features are perforated facades and inner courtyards, both of which minimize the opposition of buildings to storm surges and strong winds brought by typhoons
“Buildings can also be designed to withstand extreme conditions by adopting hydrodynamic and aerodynamic shapes,” he said
“Of course, building structures that are elevated from the ground will also help protect the building from flash floods during storms
”
For settlements along coastal areas, Nati said erecting buildings with all their load-bearing walls positioned perpendicular to the sea can help withstand tsunamis
“Open room-to-room designs that minimize obstruction in the event of overpowering flow of water can also help,” Nati said
These design features will ensure that while strong surges may damage the building its superstructure, at least, will survive to be restored and reused
Nati said these storm-resistant features have been incorporated in Tower 1 of the Primavera Residences, ITPI’s mixed-use condominium complex in Cagayan de Oro (CDO) City, and helped it survive the deadly Typhoon Sendong that flattened many buildings in CDO and in nearby Iligan City in December 2011
Published in the Business Mirror Dec
1, 2013
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