Often enough, when world-class architecture melds with the facets of daily life, the results are astounding. “The energy is different,” says Michael Banak of Australia-based Crone Partners, when asked about their firm’s remarkable design for 128 Nivel Hills, the flagship project of homegrown developer Diamond Hiland, Inc.
The vision was to create an environment that combined pragmatic, sustainable design with aspects that encouraged the resplendent and exclusive lifestyle. To achieve this, Crone Partners, the renowned architectural firm behind celebrated edifices and masterplans such as the iconic “Good House” in Melbourne; the 115 Bathurst Tower, the tallest residential tower in Sydney upon completion; and the upcoming Dubai Festival City, took inspiration from Cebu’s sweeping coastlines when they sketched out the plan for 128 Nivel Hills.
“We wanted to come up with a design unprecedented in the history of architecture in Cebu,” explains Design Consultant Michael Banak, describing the massive, curvilinear form of the buildings. “We don’t see any such structure in the island province in the next 10-15 years.”
Sure enough, the completed framework for 128 Nivel Hills soared above expectations. The shape of each tower reflects the island’s flowing shorelines, its cylindrical outline the result of layers of oval plates that make up its structure. This shape maximizes the view from every unit and paves the way for a 360-degree unobstructed vista of Cebu’s landscape and surrounding water bodies – a breathtaking scene to be experienced by 128 Nivel Hills residents everyday.
On top of its aesthetic appeal, 128 Nivel Hills’ iconic design puts the property on the grid of the world’s highly sustainable buildings. As a Green Building Council of Australia (GBCA)- accredited firm who has worked on a number of notable projects in the Philippines for 10 years now, Crone Partners placed environmentally conscious living at the heart of the property design, marking it as a truly sustainable development. For example, locally sourced materials and construction techniques are melded with international principles in building for an adaptive and contextually aware design. Indigenous raw materials and flora will be used in the natural landscaping for a setting that promotes truly well-balanced living.
The true beauty of the structures is found in their innovative functionality. Located 150 meters above sea level, 128 Nivel Hills takes advantage of the cool sea breeze for year-round natural ventilation. To reduce the heat loads in the buildings, extended balconies on each floor act as environmental sunshades. In effect, even if the sun is at its highest peak, each building remains relatively cool. Additionally, the rounded shape and general orientation of the towers protect them from harsh monsoonal winds and rains. This also permits the maximum use of natural lighting, helping to minimize overall consumption of electricity and encourage an ecologically conscious way of life among its residents.
Sustainability is an overriding attitude in the 128 Nivel Hills design. In living up to its promise of a welcoming residential community with premier luxury amenities, it fuses the functionality of modern architecture with local sensibilities and a sense of accountability towards the environment. Truly, to be part of this promising new property is to own a slice of heaven on Earth while living and growing harmoniously with nature.
