News roundup: Biri Rocks in Samar eyed for UNESCO Global Geopark status, plus other stories

For PropertyGuru’s news roundup, the Philippines province of Samar is eyeing the UNESCO Global Geopark status for the Biri Rock Formations for its “unique geological treasures.” In other news, a new AI platform helps designers and users generate new styles and even new functions for their interior spaces. And get to know the realities of senior living in India.

The Philippines’ Northern Samar eyes UNESCO Global Geopark tag for Biri Rock Formations

The provincial government of Northern Samar in the Philippines is eyeing the UNESCO Global Geopark status for the Biri Rock Formations in the island town of Biri for its “unique geological treasures.”

The provincial government said in a statement on 29th May that key officials visited the site on 24th May for the initial assessment of rock formations in Biri town for their prestigious status.

Leading the team was UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines Secretary-General Ivan Anthony Henares, with Jeremy Barns, director-general of the National Museum of the Philippines; Cecil Tirol, director for Visayas of National Museums; Leonie-Lou Jizmundo and Mark Timothy Apura, conservators from the National Historical Commission of the Philippines; and University of the Philippines professors Rolando Borrinaga and Ian Christopher Alfonso, both renowned historians and book authors.

Also with the team are the Ambassador of Poland to the Philippines Jaroslaw Szczepankiewicz and Jermaine Bohol, a political-economic expert from the Embassy of Poland in Manila.

“The presence of these distinguished guests underscores the significance of the Biri Rock Formations not only as a potential UNESCO Global Geopark but also as a national treasure that warrants international attention and preservation,” the statement in PNA read.

New AI image generator can help users redesign their own interior spaces

Interior AI is a new platform that helps users generate new styles and even new functions for their interior spaces. The program uses the input of a 2D image of an interior space, be it a picture found on the internet or a photograph taken by the user. It can then modify this picture to fit one of the 16 preselected styles, ranging from Minimalist, Art Nouveau, or Biophilic to Baroque or Cyberpunk. The program also allows users to select a different function for the room, kitchen, home office, outdoor patio, or even fitness gym, thus creating a completely new interior design.

As per ArchDaily, this can be seen as a step forward from other platforms and technologies, helping users find new ideas and inspiration for improving their homes. If websites such as Pinterest enable people to discover new ideas that can be implemented in their homes, machine learning technologies, such as AI image generators, could bridge the gap and visualize the interventions in the actual space. Other systems, like the Ikea Place App, use augmented reality technologies. This uses smartphone cameras and overlayed 3D images to present how an object would look in a space.

Understanding senior living realities in India

In India, parents are the most respected persons, to the extent that generations continue to live together. However, with changes in society and lifestyle, children live apart from their parents due to various commitments, including work, leading to the nuclearisation of families and parents living independently. This has given rise to the concept of retirement homes or independent senior living.

Housing.com reports that although developed countries have long catered to this need for independent living through retirement homes, the concept is in its nascent stage in India. Hence, the misconceptions and stereotypes about senior living often stem from lopsided views or limited experience, painting a picture that can differ significantly from the reality of senior living environments.

The Property Report editors wrote this article. For more information, email: [email protected].