Month: January 2015

mansions in the sky

heritage of new manila

Preserving a heritage entails the safeguarding of various links to the cultural legacies an entity holds. To understand the value of a place, as is with historic New Manila, one only needs to dig deep into times past and unravel the milestones entrenched within.
Continue reading “Generations of Prestige – Unraveling The Heritage of New Manila”

In the time of looming skyscrapers, overcrowded cities, and the dreaded rush hour commute, personal space is a sacred concept often desecrated.

Humanity longs for space to breathe in. Over 100 million people now reside in the country, 1.65 million1 of which are in Manila, a large concentration in a capital where a number of business districts thrive and where living spaces are getting more and more cramped. As far as space is concerned, the statistics alone don’t leave much to be desired.

Although living in a concrete jungle has its perks, people find that over time, those advantages are greatly outnumbered. When you have toxic fumes and nauseating crowds as a downside, it’s definitely time to move out.

To the modern family, abundant provisions of space offer more than just a cure to one’s sanity; it allows comfort, an even-tempered kind of living where worries and anxiety are minimal. Sky Villas at One Balete offers exactly that. Ensconced within the tree-lined vicinity of New Manila, living at Sky Villas is a lot like living in an enclave within an urban setting.

“Yes, you feel that you’re in the city, but you’re really not. It’s not as densely populated. It’s not as crowded as living in the CBDs,” shares Andrew Alcid, CEO of Philippine Realty Holdings Corp., or PhilRealty, the developer behind Sky Villas and the One Balete complex.

Masterplanned to reflect the company’s age-old and time-tested principle of offering spacious living in intimate communities, Sky Villas features the company’s distinct heritage blended with the kind of luxury fostered by the New Manila commune.

Engineered and curated for multi-generational use, Sky Villas is made to resemble the gated mansions nestled within the pre-war district once known to house the country’s elite. In keeping with PhilRealty’s legacy of spacious living, the One Balete complex will house six towers, each targeting generations of families who live and understand what true luxury is. The complex will even house the One Balete Clubhouse, a highly accessible community center where families can relax inside amenities that include a library, a gym, a pool, and a spa. It will have function rooms, as well.

At Sky Villas, every unit is done using floor layouts well planned with minimal wastage. While most condos lack the generosity of space, Sky Villas has an open layout that’s perfect for creating social islands that feature intimate seating for conversation groupings within. You’ll find that every unit is highly functional with good utility provisions, circulation, wide storage spaces, and more. Not only does it have that, its floor to ceiling windows allow for cross ventilation and natural lighting. It definitely caters to couples or families who are looking to settle and enjoy comfort at the end of the day, after the hustle and bustle of daily life.

“When you enter a unit, you walk into an open layout living room and dining room, as well as a powder room that’s easily accessible to guests and is separate from the living space,” adds Alcid.

The living space is made up of 3 generous bedrooms with floor-to-ceiling bedroom closets and bathrooms equipped with Grohe and Kohler fixtures, including glass shower enclosures. The kitchen is also generous in space, and is fully fitted with SMEG appliances; it comes with an undermount double sink, two-door refrigerator, built-in oven, and a four burner cooktop and a range hood.

Andy also shares that, “For the utility space, we provided a pretty big maid’s room, with toilet and bath, and a drying area that features an air well. One thing we’re also proud of are the balconies that have glass and stainless steel railings—a feature that lets residents be one with the lush surroundings of the entire One Balete community.”

Bathrooms will also have dual point water heaters, allowing residents access to both hot and cold water straight from their sinks and showers. All in all, the package includes two parking spaces, SMEG kitchen appliances, 6 airconditioners, glass shower enclosures, and for the first year, a fire insurance valued at P2million for the inside and a P1-million accident insurance.

These are the elements integrated to the whole One Balete living experience; distinct features that elevate the feel of relaxing within a peaceful refuge away from the cramped qualities of city living.

[1] Population of the City of Manila stands at 1.65 million, Philippine Statistics Office, census-ncr1.ph, http://census-ncr1.ph/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102%3Astatistics&Itemid=54

Ideally, residential harmony is achieved through the abundance of space. In the field of architecture, the concept of space is regarded as a key stone [1]. From calculations of proportions to the interplay between structural function and harmonious ease, architecture delves into the construction of a familiar, domestic, human space [2]. To organize a given space intelligently to form liveable, breathable dimensions within which an individual can exist is a pillar most architects live by. The personal imprints, the distinct palette, and the added touches elevate a home into a rare, fine print of who the person living there is – and all that is inconceivable without the proper organization of space. When you talk about space, however, in terms of housing, density plays a huge part. Take for example the cosmopolitan atmosphere of Hong Kong, an iconic city renowned for its dramatic forest of high-rise towers [3]. Despite the urban grandeur and because of spatial constraints that had them building up rather than building out, Hong Kong is now a city where residents have to cope with extremely limited urban open space, a measurable urban heat island effect, and dangerously high concentrations of roadside pollution that fail to disperse from poorly ventilated street canyons [3]. Continue reading “The Merits of Intelligent Space”

A drive around the neighborhood of New Manila is a calming retreat. Old mansions and verdant foliage line streets rooted amidst its surroundings, a district laden with so much history, it stands solitary yet thriving, a place that’s a faint remnant of a bygone era—one of post-war prosperity and of peace. At the turn of the millennium, as people flocked to where progress is seated, New Manila’s palatial enclaves were traded off in favor of high-rise living. But as people began to experience the toxic nature of highly urbanized cities, escaping back to New Manila’s century-old charm begins to feel like a more welcoming option.

 

A Vicinity of Historical Harmony

New Manila has its heritage. It was, and still is, home to residents who value stillness, a quiet sense of exclusivity. “To develop a project hinged on that exquisite sense of reprieve, of simple comforts, never lavish nor extravagant, is what we consider a privilege,” shares Andrew Alcid, CEO of PhilRealty, the person responsible for One Balete, a two-hectare, five-tower compound that rests inside New Manila’s tree-shaded locale. Poised to offer multi-generational living, One Balete stands as the latest embodiment of PhilRealty’s legacy in building homes renowned for spacious living within intimate and well-curated communities. This stems from the fact that they provide low-density developments that offer the most generous space in an upscale market segment. But more than spatial architecture, PhilRealty exceeds in cultivating communities that support fine living. “It is every bit visual as it is experiential,” shares Alcid. “Designing communities involve a meticulous understanding of how the trajectories of culture, heritage, commercial ease, and residential comfort intersect and blend into a fine address.”

PhilRealty’s Brand of Luxury

One Balete exudes luxury and provenance. The value of a land replete with history lies in how its story is preserved. Infrastructures should stand as a nod to the provenance of its locale; it should pay its respect, not demolish nor desecrate. That is what PhilRealty considers luxurious, especially now that carefully curated neighborhoods are beginning to take the spotlight. To them, luxury is giving the market the power and the privilege to own the space they deserve and more. One Balete’s distinction lies in it being a five-tower upscale residential complex that offers spacious apartments and generous open areas within the confines of New Manila. One Balete is, after all, a restoration of New Manila’s heritage. It is a project designed to preserve the character and charm of a century-old district steeped in gentrified living through vertical enclaves that feature an elevated aesthetic, an aspect that goes into every fine detail. Being in the business for more than 30 years, PhilRealty understands that discerning individuals, families, future homeowners are finicky to what they spend their money on. Potential buyers are drawn to the kind of lifestyle a community fosters. Everyone longs for uncompromised living; the question is what does that really entail?

Experiential as the New Premium

We look into the business of what people now call “curated”. One Balete is an example of how the emerging trend of curated consumption1 bleeds into the industry of real estate. Given that this aspect relies on a curator, an expert of sorts, whose taste and style is both exquisite and remarkable, we look into the residential complex of One Balete as something borne out of a pioneer developer’s unprecedented expertise. It is PhilRealty’s seal of approval that makes everything intact and packed with carefully considered character. In fact, every PhilRealty property goes through the uncompromising standards of the management team –a personal touch from the founding family that ensures each property is a place they themselves will call home. What you get is an authentic stamp of utmost luxury and refinement. Curated consumption stems from the growing consensus of people who would rather invest in something that is backed by a story, something that speaks to one’s emotions, yet can still be free to edit and choose how it is configured.1 This promotes self-discovery; an outlet for the expression of one’s identity with something that already has soul. This is the underlying principle behind the Experience Economy1. In fact, this is what drives the economy itself. And with One Balete as a prime example, what more could people ask for.