Good real estate is functional and make for smart investments, but great real estate employs innovative and future-proof architecture without missing the demands of current times.
Sustainability has been a hot topic in recent years, and for good reason. Climate change continues to affect lives and disrupt economies, much of the impact irreversible. It has become clear to many that the status quo no longer works, and it's time to make drastic changes.
In real estate development, architects and developers are beginning to understand the world's need for sustainable and innovative design. This shift in thinking has allowed for some to pursue out-of-the-box builds that are radical and sometimes unexpected. Vincent Callebaut Architectures' 2020 venture, The Rainbow Tree in Cebu City, Philippines, is a reflection of sustainable design that marries modern tech and traditional aesthetic — an interesting contrast that utilizes eco-responsible solutions in a housing project.
Aptly named after an iconic and colorful tree in the Philippines, The Rainbow Tree is anything but a wallflower, its commanding presence hard to miss. The 115-meter high organic tower breathes a certain freshness to the concrete jungle of Cebu Business Park, its façade covered in over 30,000 tropical plants that resemble a multi-layered rainbow. Vincent Callebaut figured Cebu to be the perfect location to erect The Rainbow Tree for this reason, among others — more and more people are moving to the cities, and it's up to today's designers to inspire society to think of sustainability.
"By 2050, 80% of the world’s population will live in cities. It is now necessary to produce as close as possible to the consumer-actors and consume the minimum of resources while reducing wastes and greenhouse gas emissions. Within the framework of the new circular economy, the Rainbow Tree is a prototype of a completely bio-based vertical forest respecting the four pillars of the ecological city of the future, namely: energy self-sufficiency (heating, cooling, and electricity); greening of buildings and development of urban agriculture; soft mobility centered on pedestrians, bikes and electric co-mobility; social innovation through spaces for sharing between residents and solidarity services."
The Rainbow Tree is a mixed-use residential condominium with retail and serviced apartments. Incorporating "the principles of passive bioclimatism and advanced renewable energies" in a structure, the designers of Vincent Callebaut Architectures aims to get double environmental certification (LEED + BERDE) with The Rainbow Tree.
Supplementing this eco-sustainable construction is an architectural design informed by the Philippines' cultural and historical heritage. The 1,200 prefabricated wooden modules that make up the tower are directly inspired by the "bahay kubo", a kind of house structure indigenous to the Philippines. The same design allows for passive cooling across the building.
Every decision concerning the build of this ecological structure — from materials to the visual blueprint — complements each other to create something that promotes sustainability and great design.
Building Structure
Vincent Callebaut Architectures designed The Rainbow Tree to be built of solid wood, being the sole renewable material growing abundant in nature. Wood denotes a negative carbon footprint, confining 0.9 tonnes of carbon per ton of material produced.
Modern construction methods paired with traditional practices have made it possible to create such a design using this material. The Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) construction process consists of superimposing wooden slats and connecting them using organic adhesives like lignin or cellulose. CLT is energy efficient in production, and in its ability to resist fire and heat.
To reinforce the wood's fire resistance properties and help protect the material from insects and fungi, Vincent Callebaut and his team thought to use the ancestral Yakisugi technique of preserving wood through a series of natural burning procedures. Natural processes like the Yakisugi not only demand less energy compared to its contemporary counterparts, but also help create a design full of character and visual interest.
Renewable energy distribution is at the core of how The Rainbow Tree operates. Passive energy systems help further reduce the carbon footprint of the structure. The plants that dress the organic residential tower provide double insulation and temperature control. Wind chimneys cross the building's core to ensure natural ventilation. Solar and wind energies are harvested on the rooftop through solar canopies and wind turbines, and domestic water is redistributed in a virtuous loop in The Rainbow Tree's facilities.
All these were intended while referencing customary Filipino design and craftsmanship, whether it be in the tropical greenery planted and raw materials used in construction, or in the actual visual design of the structure. The intentionality in sustainable design is carried over to the facilities and amenities of The Rainbow Tree.
Facilities and Amenities
In terms of facilities and functional offerings, The Rainbow Tree is comparable to any luxury residence in the metro, with a few extra amenities that align with the brand identity of the 32-floor ecological structure. Three basement floors offer 120 parking spaces total. On the ground floor, the building is expected to house a catering restaurant, a co-working office space, and access ramps to the silo car park. The 3rd to 6th floors are reserved for exclusive parking of electric cars.
The 7th and 8th floors are dedicated to The Rainbow Tree's double height fitness center — complete with a condominium pool and spa. Residential apartments can be found on the 9th-30th floors, with each level housing 13 opulent multi-bedroom apartments.
Probably the highlight amenity and unique selling feature of The Rainbow Tree is its urban sky farm. Two mezzanines on the 31st floor will be used for sustainable aquaponic farming of local fruits, vegetables, algae, and even fish. Supporting this feature are 1,650-square-meter photovoltaic and thermal solar panels, and 16 axial wind turbines with magnetic levitation that are placed on the building's rooftop.
What's admirable about the facilities and amenities of The Rainbow Tree is that there was clear intention and a nod to sustainability in every decision and function. There's positive reinforcement for electric mobility, and a deliberate serviceability in creating the development's recreational green space.
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The Rainbow Tree, in its pursuit of eco-sustainability and innovation, stays true to Filipino roots in terms of design and functionality. It is in this juxtaposition that The Rainbow Tree finds its true strength in the real estate market. Understanding how to integrate nature into urban spaces and tradition into a modern environment can only lead to a way of living that's simple yet fulfilled, interesting and still enduring.
Source:
The Rainbow Tree - Vincent Callebaut Architectures. (2020). VINCENT CALLEBAUT ARCHITECTURES. https://vincent.callebaut.org/object/200207_rainbowtree/rainbowtree/projects