Common desire for functional design

It’s not just about aesthetics. Beyond appealing to one’s senses, efficiently designed spaces and structures actually play a key role in the well-being of the residents and tenants.

Numerous case studies and projects have already shown that design can influence one’s health, productivity, behavior, and at times, even one’s mood. But achieving an ideal design suitable to today’s urban dwellers entails meticulous planning, painstaking attention to every single detail of the project, and a certain expertise honed by years of experience. It also meant taking no shortcuts and paying for premium materials to create an environment conducive to one’s wellness.

Fortunately, there are local developers who recognize the significance and impact of the built environment on the quality of life of residents, visitors and other guests and locators.

Designed for a purpose

In Pasig City, for instance, the 10-ha Capitol Commons is offering an integrated urban haven, where each component was designed and strategically placed to complement the other facets of this mixed use project. While showcasing a stunning architecture that features Philippine culture, Capitol Commons provides residents, workers and guests with a much needed breathing space at the heart of the urban jungle.

Seasoned developer Ortigas & Co. aptly displayed its prowess and expertise arising from an eight-decade legacy in creating this sanctuary. How so?

Ortigas & Co. designed and had masterplanned Capitol Commons to house five luxury residential towers, strategically located in areas where residents will still enjoy privacy, security and exclusivity. While this is so, residents and guests will still find it easy to reach the prime office spaces and commercial areas that showcase a wide array of retail, dining and entertainment selections at Estancia, Unimart Supermarket and Gastro, a strip of free-standing concept restaurants. The idea is to have all these within walking distance from your home.

Lush parks and open spaces abound within the development, too, with the Capitol Commons Park serving as the “green heart” and the centerpiece of balance and holistic wellness. Almost a hectare of space has been made available for residents and guests to relax and enjoy leisure activities with loved ones.

Designs with benefits

All the planned residential towers, located within a 1.4-ha block within Capitol Commons, were also designed to derive certain benefits for the people.

Each project, which has a distinct architectural design, poised to grace the Ortigas skyline, will offer breathtaking views of either Ortigas Center, Pasig River, Laguna de Bay and mountain ranges. Each has its own character and was designed to provide comfort and convenience to its residents.

For example: The Royalton, a 64-storey luxury residential condo, was designed to be “a home fit for royals.”

Residential condominiums at Capitol Commons offer topnotch amenities to provide a holistic lifestyle.

According to Ortigas & Co., the design inspiration for The Royalton is what it called as “The Veil”—which showcases a sweeping, sexy tall building that is iconic and aesthetically unique. The veil “seems to lightly wrap on the building as if to flutter and flap in the wind. The fold in the fabric of the veil becomes the balconies of the units. Just like the fold of the fabric, the balconies will not have the same cuts and sizes, giving a unique lay-out on each floor and different features in each unit,” it explained.

The tower was also designed to have a proper orientation of the sun and wind, enabling it to block off solar heat from the afternoon sun, thus protecting its residents, guests, workers.

Designed to maximize

The Imperium, which is Latin for “Power to Rule,” is the second residential project to be launched within Capitol Commons. True to its name, this 62-storey tower is touted as the next highly coveted piece of real estate property in Metro Manila. A premier address offering only four units to a floor, this luxurious high rise exudes sophistication with its simple yet elegant architectural design.

According to Ortigas, The Imperium is shifted forward to ensure unobstructed views, while emphasizing its majestic positioning as the “king” of the block, hence its imperial name. In contrast with The Royalton’s sexy and sweeping curves, The Imperium’s architectural design is simple and elegant, made up of clean lines that emphasized its circular form from afar, it added.

The Empress was designed to offer a balance of “yin” and “yang” spaces.

Ortigas further pointed out that the trapezoidal canted windows were designed to provide an impressive perspective not just of the horizon but of the Capitol Commons park below. Aside from providing a unique viewing experience, other benefits from this design would be increased illumination and ventilation inside the units.

The Imperium also has a light shelf, an architectural element that allows daylight to penetrate into the units by using a surface to bounce the visible light up towards the ceiling and down into the unit space. This simple horizontal surface reduces the need for artificial lighting, counteracts the harmful glare of direct sunlight, and helps in the preservation of furniture inside the units.

The design of The Imperium offers more height and space given its beamless ceiling, which was achieved through the use of flat slab ceiling directly supported by columns. Obviously, this increases the net clear ceiling height, thus adding more space in a unit, Ortigas said.

Designing for the young

At 62 storeys, The Maven was designed to standout. Its design was inspired by the “lantern” which “symbolizes a movement towards the hip generation. The three-bedroom special units, located at the topmost floors, are said to form the shape of a lantern. A vertical notch on the building face serves as a breezeway while punched balconies create depth and character in the building.”

Maven is an ideal space for the young modern dweller.

Located at the northeast corner of Capitol Commons, Maven is seen to be the new haven—an ideal space for the young modern dweller to live, work, play and learn since everything is practically just right outside your doorstep.

Designing for balance

And soon, Ortigas & Co. will be launching its fourth residential project here called “The Empress.” As its name suggests, the latest development will exude femininity and strength while, at the same time, bear that natural nurturing touch of a woman, which means health, balance and well-being would be the top priorities when The Empress was being designed.

To create that much sought balance amid the frenetic pace of life in the city, The Empress was designed to offer a balance of “yin” and “yang” spaces, with yin comprising of the quiet spaces (garden, pamper room, reading room) while the yang pertaining to the active zone (pool, gym, function halls, fitness and dance halls, etc.).