A View of Northtown with Architect Palafox: On People, Environment, and Design
Three years ago on its 50th anniversary, Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev) launched its latest project under its Alsons Properties brand—Northtown, a sprawling 116-hectare township in Cabantian, Buhangin, Davao City. The developer looked to Palafox Associates to help them fulfill this daunting task.
Architect Felino “Jun” Palafox, Jr. has won numerous awards in the field of architecture and urban planning, and is recognized as the country’s foremost name in green architecture, designing visually stunning and environment-friendly projects. Through Palafox Associates, the firm he founded in 1989, he has continually redefined what it means to masterplan urban landscapes, while ensuring that environmental consciousness and a focus on people remain the driving forces behind any project.
Here, the esteemed Filipino architect gives an inside look into the design process and the sustainable features of Northtown.
A Values-Based Partnership
Architect Palafox is known for being exceedingly selective of his clients, once turning down a million-dollar contract when the project required cutting down hundreds of trees unnecessarily. In Alsons Dev, on the other hand, the architect found a kindred soul.
“They understand our crusade for better developments and communities,” explains Architect Palafox, when asked what drew him to Alsons Dev. “We’re on the same page. We have similar goals, and the same focus on honesty, integrity, and professionalism.“
Designing with nature
In developing the hilly landscape of Northtown, Palafox made sure to respect the general topography of the land as much as possible. “By making the most out of the rolling terrain, there are more possibilities for panoramic views and access to natural breeze.”
With regard to Northtown’s Tropical Contemporary design theme, Palafox says: “We’re a tropical country so part of it is designing with nature. The indoors should set a dialogue, a connectivity with the outdoors. It’s modern architecture, but it must be tropical. It’s more flexible, and at the same time, you create a better sense of place. It’s more natural.”
People first
From the very beginning, Palafox Associates made sure that Northtown is masterplanned to be people-focused and conducive to community building: “During our brainstorming sessions, we role-play. We ask ourselves, ‘If you were a teenager, a grandparent, or if you had handicap—how would you want to live here? If you were an investor, how would you want the place to be?’ We think, if this plan is good, consider the beneficiaries. But if it’s lousy, consider the sufferers.”
For Alsons Dev and Palafox, it’s not just a matter of having green spaces in Northtown; it’s also about making them accessible. “We conducted a survey for a past project, which told us that most people in Metro Manila only walk 400 meters. We tried to incorporate this knowledge into the design of Northtown,” said Palafox. As such, Northtown will feature a network of eight parks, each just a short five-minute walk away, to ensure that residents will never be too far to commune with nature and enjoy the amenities.
Also, the streets at Northtown were designed to include ample space for pedestrians and bikers, as well as for landscaping and trees, to make walking and biking around the community a pleasant experience.
He adds: “If you compare communities and cities to the human body, open spaces are the lungs. The roads and walkways are the arteries. The major activity centers are the heart.” At Northtown, a 2.5 hectare clubhouse complex called The Club will offer a multitude of amenities for leisure, social gatherings, and sports.
Unique, memorable, identifiable design
Palafox Associates is also known for imbuing their projects with a grand a sense of arrival. For Northtown, Palafox shares: “We don’t just have a gate, we have an entrance plaza. It’s wider, it’s a better landscape, it’s better lighted.”
To the right of Northtown’s main entrance is Alsons Public Safety Complex, the country’s first integrated public safety and rescue facility, which Alsons Dev donated and turned over to the city last June. To its left, a proposed town center with a community mall by CityMall Commercial Centers, Inc. will soon rise.
These add to the community’s “wow!” factor—a must in every Alsons Dev and Palafox project. The overall effect is one of awe, a sense that you’ve arrived.
And because the development puts such a strong emphasis on human values, Palafox’s process of masterplanning derived a lot of inspiration from Dabawenyo culture. “We really studied Davao,” says Palafox. “The colors of the cuisine, the fabric, Mt. Apo, the flora and fauna, and the culture of the people. We don’t just draw—we really immerse ourselves in their storyline. I made sure to be in Davao for this.”
Parting words
As for his hopes and dreams for the residents of Northtown, Architect Palafox believes that his design and architecture convey his goodwill much better than his words could: “I hope that by this time next year, it will be a stronger community. By designing with nature, we create a sense of identity. We create a family of buildings, but at the same time, there’s still a sense of uniqueness to every house. As much as possible, because of that bridge of connectivity, we’d like to influence stronger social cohesiveness of the residents.”
Original post from http://alsonsproperties.com/a-view-of-northtown-with-architect-palafox-on-people-environment-and-design/