Bariou tells us further that the structure of the building itself was made to resist nature’s wrath. The idea was to combine traditional and ancient knowledge with strong, innovative materials, to maximise the natural wind flow inside and natural sunlight to create the feeling of being always connected to the green and breezy surroundings. The structure itself is a big, welded, and interconnected steel cage halfway buried into the sand planted to the ground with high-quality concrete. All the walls are made with Ecocasts from GreenAntz Philippines which are extremely sturdy and flexible hollow blocks that can withstand earthquakes, and long fires while recycling tons of plastic trash from Filipino open dumpsites. All of its windows are made of very thick tempered glass and our roof, which is fashioned to catch rainwater (their only source of water), comprises three layers of bamboo shingles overlapping each other—the first and only bamboo roof in the entire Siargao.

"Coastal erosion is caused by natural environmental changes and is worsened by certain human activities," explains Bariou. "Typhoon Odette did not spare anyone, especially us, being beachfront and riverside. The surrounding mangroves within the area however reduced the damage to our property. It is very important to be mindful when building projects, when we were working on Maison Bukana, we took into consideration the many environmental regulations ensuring that we do not contribute to any devastation of the mangroves in our area. On the contrary, we always have in mind to preserve the natural resources of the area and we worked with experts to plant, spread and protect the mangrove and other trees around us. Although we don’t deny that luck is an undeniable factor that played out for us, these natural barriers were also critical to absorbing the tremendous power that was unleashed on that terrible day."

Read also: After the Storm: French Photographer Camille Robiou du Pont Recounts How She Survived the Strongest Typhoon of 2021

Slow-living architecture, which means having sustainable materials and crafting each part of the villa carefully and painstakingly, is the most important element of Maison Bukana for Bariou. The materials embody the roots of both French and Filipino architecture, embracing local biodiversity and marrying with the place's local culture.

"In reconstructing the Villa, we can honestly say that we wouldn’t change anything to our initial design, we are bringing in the same materials since day 1: hardwood, driftwood, fast-growing, and renewable bamboo, and the like however this time, we have been very diligent with studying what is best to ensure the quality and life of the materials are improved and prolonged," Bariou says. "We have consulted with friends and experts on how to treat wood and ensure it is weatherproof. It is really difficult to select the right material to resist a typhoon, both concrete/metal and traditional wood/nipa/ bamboo have their pros and cons, but combining all of them was the solution for us, without forgetting to preserve and protect our direct environment."

The recent calamity has destroyed the overall landscape of the island. Nevertheless, Bariou and his team are up for the challenge and looking forward to finishing the repairs and reopening soon.

Read also: Home Tour: A Minimalist House Built With Eco-Conscious Materials

The calamity has taught Bariou many lessons, most particularly the importance of sustainability and eco-consciousness ruling every architecture. "We need to completely wrap our ideas around the fact that we are merely visitors or caretakers on this planet," he says. "Hence when we make or build, we need to make use of what is generally available but also easy to change or replace without endangering the environment around us."

More than the sustainable materials that blend the location, Bariou takes pride in having Maison Bukana's architecture being able to harvest rainwater and treat it for their pool and daily water use including showers, laundry, kitchen, and watering the plants. The laundry and dishwashing products are all plant-based and biodegradable, in order to respect the grounds and the mangroves around the property. The structure is on stilts, making it naturally much cooler. And lastly, natural breeze and sunlight reign supreme through smart design to minimise power consumption.

Read also: Plant Parenthood: Tips from Successful Urban Gardeners

"We fulfilled our social responsibilities to the community that we are part of by providing the locals with jobs but also further learnings through employment and scheduled training, raising awareness, and teaching alternative ways to help protect our island together. But this process goes both ways as we also listen and learn a lot from our staff whom we consider as family," Bariou shares. "Indeed, our commitment to taking care of our direct environment is of course to nature, the fauna, and flora but also taking care of the local community, families that depend on the tourism economy, fishermen, farmers, and the like. No business lasts if not sustainable, we take pride in working around small efforts to ensure we always lessen our carbon footprint."

Read also: How Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli Remain Optimistic While Advocating for Sustainability

Barious shares his last advice to architects and designers by reiterating the importance of slow-living architecture and taking part in protecting and preserving the environment the structure will be in, plus helping it to grow further through planting and propagating. "In our case, the mangroves as they have the ability to grow where no other trees can and make significant contributions that benefit the coastal ecology of our area. They are holding onto every rock, sand, and mud from the river across the sea. Home to the many different species of birds, mammals, and fish which is not just a diverse but unique habitat," Bariou says.

Learn more about this resort in Siargao by visiting maisonbukana.com

NOW READ

Designing for the Elements: Endika Ampudia of Estudio Arkipelago on the Role of Nature in Architecture

ARCHIDEX 2022: Architect Felino "Jun" Palafox Tells Us How 'Smart Cities' are Built

Meet 5 of the Philippines' Eco Warriors and Know How They Try to Save Mother Earth