PHILIPPINES SCHEME COMMITS TO DESIGN
DESIGNER PREFABRICATED HOUSES WITH A ‘STARCHITECT’ PROFILE ARE SET TO PLAY A LEADING ROLE IN A NEW SCHEME TO CREATE A CREATIVE COMMUNITY LOCATED AROUND 80 KM OUTSIDE THE PHILIPPINE CAPITAL OF MANILA
The development, called Batulao Artscapes, is described as “the world’s first liveable art park” and will house 6,000 homes, most of them built in factories. It is scheduled for completion by 2020.
The scheme features four ‘villages’ and 12 different styles of home. Residents can choose from prefabs designed by creative minds from artist David Salle to musician / designer Lenny Kravitz.
There are also homes from award winning architect Eduardo Calma. Calma is renowned for luxury home design in the Philippines. His Polygonal Successions or ‘rowhouses’ at Batulao Artscapes are characterised by repeated faceted forms.
Dutch designer Marcel Wanders’ reportedly welcomed the opportunity to create a prefabricated dwelling at Batulao Artscapes. Renowned as an interior and product designer, Wanders’ Eden House marks his first venture into prefab design and offers homeowners a degree of customisation including a choice of colours and finishes.
Homes in Batulao Artscapes start at 2.5 million Philippine pesos (approximately AUD $60,000) but high end homes in the project also reflect growing interest in the idea of ‘luxury’ prefab homes.
In addition to high-end prefabs, Batulao Artscapes is offering extensive public art facilities designed by the renowned creative identities such as Pritzker Prize-winning architects Christian de Portzamparc and Jean Nouvel, creator of the Copenhagen Concert Hall and the Louvre Abu Dhabi.■
