The College of Architects and Landscape Architects of Puerto Rico is hosting a lecture titled 'Casa Bajura. Lo necesario: diseño, construcción y paisaje en el contexto tropical' on Thursday, October 15. Spanish architect Merce Martínez Marín and Puerto Rican architect José Pagán Parés will discuss their project, including the challenges of building in a coastal area prone to flooding, such as Barrio Bajura in Isabela.
The Casa Bajura project is a small bed and breakfast-style residence designed with passive strategies for orientation, solar protection, and cross ventilation, as well as rainwater collection and preparation for photovoltaic panels. The unique structural system was achieved through a combination of reinforced concrete blocks and gabion foundations, which allowed the architects to stabilize the terrain and elevate the building above the flood level. The lecture will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the College's headquarters in Santurce.