ZAMBOANGA CITY (Mindanews/15 April) – The city government in coordination with the United Architects of the Philippines (UAP)-Zamboanga Chapter launched on Thursday the search for best architectural design to be used in the development of the Greater Sta. Cruz Island Resort as a premier eco-tourism destination in the country.
This came after the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA) turned over to the city government of Zamboanga the development, management, maintenance and operations of the Great and Little Sta. Cruz Islands Protected Landscape and Seascape, including the existing facilities and other improvements there.
The islands around 15 to 20 minutes by small boat from mainland Zamboanga City.
The competition is held in partnership with the Western Mindanao State University-College of Architecture.
Shiraleen Pajarito, UAP-Zamboanga City chapter president, said the contest, dubbed the Architectural Design Competition for the Great Sta. Cruz Island Beach Resort, is open to all registered Filipino architects, architecture students and graduates in the entire country, whether individually or as a team.
Pajarito said the competition will have two categories: Category I for registered Filipino Architects with a current and valid Integrated and Accredited Professional Organization of Architects (IAPOA) Registration Certificates; and Category II for students and graduates of Bachelor of Science in Architecture provided that the interested student/s should have enrolled in the previous semester and should have the endorsement of the dean of architecture and a faculty adviser while the graduates would need an endorsement of an architect-mentor.
The two-phase design competition will begin with a Pre-Qualification stage where five finalists from the professional level and three qualifiers from the student/graduate level will be chosen.
Each qualifying individual or team for both categories will be provided with P10,000 to defray the cost of developing the architectural designs which would include major and minor structures and amentias like the administration building, staff house, pavilion, concession stalls for food and beverages, souvenir shop/boutique, water sports or dive shop and massage/reflexology center.
It would also include the local products area where locals of the island can display and sell their products to beachgoers, public comfort stations, outdoor showers, picnic huts and family cottages, wash areas, grillers, lifeguard station, viewing deck with catwalk, desalination facilities, solar panels, materials recovery facility, water tanks and other auxiliary structures.
As an integral part of the criteria in designing the mentioned structures and spaces, a low-impact approach will be highly observed where natural and indigenous materials that are least destructive to the environment are preferred to be used.
Mayor Celso Lobregat emphasized that the development of the “Las Islas de Santa Cruz” will not destroy the surrounding environment to include the living and non-living elements that are within the protected zone.
Lobregat said that the project will “protect, rehabilitate, and propagate” the Islands of Sta.
Cruz since any development effort will strictly abide the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Administrative Order 2009-09 entitled “Standard design and Specification of Signs, Buildings, Facilities and other Infrastructure that may be Installed and/or Constructed within Protected Areas.”
“It will be a low impact and environmental friendly structures,” Lobregat said.
The contest, Lobregat said will not only help in the promotion of the unique pinkish sand island but also provide an opportunity for architects to take part in an ambitious tourism effort that offers a handsome reward.
All winning entries for both categories will be awarded cash prizes.
For Category I, the prizes are: P100,000, first place; P60,000, second place; and P40,000, third place.
In Category II, the prizes are: P50,000, first place; P30,000, second place; and, P20,000, third place. (MindaNews)
