NETIZENS had mixed reactions about the latest project of celebrity civil engineer Slater Young that took inspiration from the Banaue Rice Terraces, with many of them expressing concern about its potential risks to the environment.
The content creator unveiled a scale model of the project and discussed its details in his latest vlog titled, Skypod 3.0! Yes, We Are Really Building This!
Young named his project “The Rise at Monterrazas,” which will be built on the mountainside in Guadalupe, Cebu.
The scale model veered away from the typical vertical buildings and instead “followed the flow of the mountain,” Young explained.
“Each and every space was pushed towards the back, and with that, we’re able to create this free-flowing design,” the engineer said.
“But not only that, this whole structure is now spread out across the mountain, making it a whole lot safer and less yung environmental impact natin,” he added.
However, there are netizens who are not convinced that the project would have less impact on the environment.
Some found the project “ironic” because while it has green architecture, they said it would “destroy” the environment once it is constructed.
An X user also wondered if “The Rise at Monterrazas” had an environmental impact assessment first. He expressed his concern over the number of trees that would be cut down for the project.
Other netizens, meanwhile, came to Young’s defense and said that the civil engineer knows what he’s doing.
Other netizens also praised the architectural design in the comment section of Young’s vlog.
The content creator has yet to address the concerns raised about his project as of posting.
What to expect from ‘The Rise at Monterrazas’
Young shared in his vlog that “The Rise at Monterrazas” will have 146 units.
One of the advantages of future unit owners of The Rise is that they will have their own unit storage room, which is one of the typical problems of condominium living, he said.
“Those areas that are facing the mountain, hindi na natin kayang gawan ng unit, ‘di ba? So what we did in the context of making this as much of a house as possible is we gave each and every unit storage space behind them,” he explained.
These storage rooms can be used for excess furniture and other home decorations, such as Christmas trees and party tables and chairs, that are only used on certain occasions, he said.
He also said that following the flow of the mountain allowed them to give outdoor spaces per unit.
“The unit below becomes the outdoor space of the top, and so on and so forth. This makes the entire project feel more like a home,” he said.
This “low-density development” is also near hospitals, schools, and malls. Young said that he is also planning to build a mall inside the villa.
The development project will also have a private clubhouse exclusive to the unit owners. It will have a functional hall for big parties that can accommodate around 150 people, a gym located at the edge of the infinity pool, saunas, and locker rooms.
For sustainability, the project will have its own irrigation system that are “similar” to those on farms, which is one of their “sustainable solutions,” the celebrity engineer said.
“This entire building will be collecting all the rainwater to a tank down below and then meron tayong irrigation system. It’s a drip irrigation system that makes the entire strip of garden in front of you virtually maintenance-free,” he said.
The amenity area will also be supplemented by solar power and that all parking spaces of The Rise will have provisions for electric car charging, he said.
The content creator has expected that there will be a lot of questions regarding the project, including the rainwater collection, soil stability, and its resistance to natural disasters such as earthquakes.
Nonetheless, he said the “The Rise at Monterrazas” is something that he is “truly, truly proud of.”
