RAIN Garden of Riomonte in Nuvali
Riomonte is the seventh residential project of Ayala Land Premier (ALP) in Nuvali that the high-end developer launched recently. To come up with this name, the ALP management team brainstormed with this result: a combination of two Spanish words that mean river and mountain in English.
With two entrance gates, Riomonte is an 85-hectare exclusive enclave made up of five pocket neighborhoods. It offers large lot cuts averaging 530 sqm with some lot measuring about 800 sqm. Each neighborhood will only have about 165 homes or about 10 lots per hectare. Lot prices range from P18,250 to P26,650 per sqm.
Sales in Riomonte have been exceptionally brisk, totaling P2.78 million as of June 30.
ALP managing director Jose Juan Z. Jugo said accessible from Riomonte are Nuvali’s commercial district, leisure facilities, educational institutions and amenities. This masterplanned development is located just 9 km from Ayala Malls Solenad and the Lakeside Evozone. It is also near Miriam College, Republic Wakepark, the Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, and Camp N.
Like other ALP developments across Nuvali, Jugo added that Riomonte is surrounded by endemic greenery, evoking a sense of living within a tropical parkland. This is in line with Nuvali’s eco-living philosophy. About 50 percent of its total land area is dedicated to green spaces, roadways and amenities.
At the heart of Riomonte is the 700-meter long Main Park that connects to a sprawling 4.5-hectare Ridge Park, which bounds the western side of the property. Ridge Park is 1.5-kilometer long and is adjacent to a 20-hectare setback from the Cauang-Cauang River. Toward the east, Cauang-Cauang is providing an additional 8-hectare buffer of open space.
AERIAL view
Its interconnected system of vast parks, pocket gardens and open spaces serves as a come-on to Riomonte. Located throughout the community are rain gardens and pocket parks, ranging from 120 to 1,900 sqm in size. Also, the entire property is enveloped by landscaped perimeter parks that are 8 to 10 sqm in width. These wide open spaces provide residents additional areas for recreation while at the same time serve as buffer zones that distance residences from the property’s boundary.
“Early on, we decided that we would work with the undulating terrain, natural greenery and waterways. Only trees and plants that are endemic to the area will be planned and the natural lay of the land will be maintained,” said architect Manny E. Illana, studio head of ALP’s Innovation and Design Group.
According to Illana, roads will be tree-lined and in some cases, will have rain gardens running through them. A main loop road links all five neighborhoods together while maintaining the privacy and exclusivity of each one, he said.
Riomonte’s total road sections are generously proportioned at 15 to 20 meters wide. This includes planting strips and 2-3 meter-wide sidewalks, Illana added.
Jugo said: “ALP properties have always been consistent in providing the distinctive living experience that our clients are accustomed to. Property values of ALP have risen significantly since the launch of Abrio in 2007 when some lots were sold at P10,000 compared to P30,000 today. People have also seen the transformation of Nuvali into a flourishing eco-community in less than eight years and how ALI has delivered and continues to deliver, its commitment to its various stakeholders.”
He added that ALP has also developed in Nuvali the distinctive communities of Abrio, Montecito, Santierra, Elaro, Luscara and Soliento.