MONTERRAZAS de Cebu, an urban township that sits over 300 meters above sea level, offering magnificent views of Cebu, Mactan and Bohol.
Architects, being the brains and guide of every home development, play a strategic, crucial role in the success of every project that is built.
Their familiarity, knowledge and mastery of the area or the project site enable them to deliver structures that could truly suit and benefit future residents.
Proof of such is Genvi Development Corp.’s Monterrazas de Cebu, the brainchild of brother-sister tandem Augusto and Margarita Villalon.
“Because we are from Cebu, we feel that we can do something good for the Cebuanos. We have this piece of land and we thought that we would develop it in a way that would make Cebu and us proud,” explained Augusto Villalon, president of Genvi Development, in a recent briefing.
Monterrazas de Cebu is a 220-hectare property rising over a thousand feet above sea level. It is to date the largest of any contiguous mountain property available in the heart of Cebu City.
Cebu living
This project, according to Villalon, will afford future residents to enjoy the kind of living Cebuanos were accustomed to.
“Cebu living is very laid back and that’s the kind of living experience we’d like to continue in the mountain, but this time with all conveniences at your feet. Will have two clubhouses, playgrounds, jogging trails etc. So everything that you need is there but without the sort of pressure that comes with Manila lifestyle,” he explained.
“Everything is available and we will assure you power, water, all the other amenities. We also have spent a lot to bury electrical wirings so you won’t see wires, so it’s really top-of-the-line living for Cebu,” Villalon added.
“It’s a 12- to 15-year project, and the vision is to eventually end up developing a township which means that you can live there,” he shared.
“It will have townhouses, condominiums, school, hospital, shopping and work area. The idea really is to walk to work and make everything accessible,” he further noted.
Monterrazas de Cebu will have an open plan but architects and owners are encouraged to look at tropical Filipino houses, particularly a special variation which, according to Villalon, can only be found in Cebu.
“So we’re giving out style books to follow. Houses in Cebu are much more open, we have balcon all around—it’s more calado like a Barong Tagalog and that’s the kind of thing that we’d like people to look into. They don’t have to copy that but it’s the idea,” he said.
Cebuano-designed subdivision
Villalon also proudly shared that the project will be done by mostly Cebuano consultants as he believes that it is much better to have a Cebuano-designed subdivision or development because they know the lifestyle of the people.
“It’s sariling atin, done by global Cebuanos for the Cebu market. We will only get consultants from Manila if that specialty is not available in Cebu, so we had to do that for just a few engineering specialties. It’s because we truly believe that all of the talent is in Cebu,” Villalon claimed.
In terms of design, construction and policies, several sustainable and green measures have been put into place. For instance, the development boasts a sound erosion control plan, featuring the use of coco mats with vetiver grass, which is said to be an effective ally against erosion in warmer climates, Villalon explained.
“Going green has always been part of the company’s plans. We believe that present environmental concerns have become a vital component of urban planning, so we see to it that these are treated as key considerations in property development,” he said.
The vetiver grass, explained Villalon, will help stabilize the soil because it generally grows downward—from two to four meters down—and its roots bind to the soil, which keeps them from getting dislodged.
“The vetiver grass, with its ability to block surface runoff by slowing water flow velocity and increasing soil absorption, also enforces effective flood mitigation and risk management,” he explained.
Drainage control measure
Monterrazas de Cebu is also the first in the Philippines to make use of a detention pond system, a drainage control measure that further aids flood protection by temporarily storing excess runoff.
He also shared that at Monterrazas, residents are required to have rainwater tanks or cisterns in their homes as these encourage the harvesting of rainwater for eventual reuse.
“Being an active part of the green revolution is Genvi’s way of taking its commitment to promote and improve the Cebuano lifestyle to another level,” he noted.
“By using a holistic strategy that keeps in mind all necessary considerations, we are able to realize our vision of approaching urban development in a socially and environmentally sustainable manner, with an overall result that benefits both Mother Earth and the community members,” Villalon concluded.