In a bid to turn waste materials into more useful resources, real estate developer Amaia Land Corp. recently launched the first Amaia Steps Parkway Nuvali Upcycling Challenge at Solenad 1, Nuvali in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Amaia’s Upcycling Challenge saw the participation of a slew of design students, professionals, and upcycling enthusiasts, out of which thirteen were chosen finalists. All the participants are given sufficient time to create marketable and practical home products from scratch using a selected material—in this case, plastic soft drink bottles.
The ongoing environmental competition is scheduled to hold its awarding ceremonies on Oct. 25, where only three of the most creative ideas and designs will be chosen.
Ricky Celis, Amaia Land Corp. president, said the upcycling contest was meant to encourage the public to creatively reduce waste by turning these into useful and aesthetically pleasing products.
“When waste products are not biodegradable, these occupy space out there and possibly pollute the environment. Thus, before throwing anything out, why not consider upcycling them?” Celis said.
“Caring for the environment has always been part of our advocacy. We wanted a project that would push this cause, so the Upcycling Challenge was really perfect for us. Here in Amaia Steps Parkway Nuvali, we encourage everyone to live a life that is one with nature—to not just enjoy its beauty but also care for it,” he said.
Upcycling, also known as creative reuse, is the process of turning old and discarded goods or waste materials into something useful and beautiful and with better environmental value.
For the Amaia Steps Parkway Nuvali Upcycling Challenge, the finalists were tasked to create home products that must be useful to Amaia homeowners—an endeavor that was consistent with the development’s theme: “Living Re-Imagined.”
“We are doing this to inspire our residents and future homeowners to contribute to preserving our environment,” Celis said. “We believe that even seemingly small ways such as these will have greater impact if everyone adopts the habit of upcycling waste materials into something useful again.”
Each team was provided transportation to the site and P3,000 for raw materials.
The finalists’ entries will be displayed at Soledad 1 in Nuvali while its images will be showcased on Amaia Land Corp.’s official Facebook page. The entry with the most number of likes on Facebook will receive a special prize.
The grand winner will be awarded P100,000 in cash and a glass trophy. The first runner-up will receive P50,000 and a glass trophy and the second runner-up will get P25,000 and a glass trophy.
Ayala Land’s Nuvali, which spans 1,750 hectares, is an inspiring model of a green, sustainable eco-community. Built on the pillars of environmental, economic, and social sustainability, community development remains a primary objective of Nuvali in achieving this balance.
Nuvali, which is located in the cities of Sta. Rosa and Calamba and the municipality of Cabuyao in Laguna, is part of the growth corridor of the Calabarzon region. Its campus-like environment integrates a community where residences, business, and recreation flow seamlessly.