Wealth of wellness fit for an Empress

Seasoned developer Ortigas & Co. is bringing a novel, possibly a gamechanging concept to the real estate scene.

Through the Empress, a 56-storey residential tower set to rise within Capitol Commons in Pasig City, Ortigas & Co. will be introducing to the Philippine market what it claims to be the “first wellness real estate in the country”—one that would allow residents to live, breathe and take it easy in a space that embodies the true meaning of home.

Wellness lifestyle real estate refers to homes that were proactively designed and built to support the holistic health of the residents. And as wellness lifestyle real estate and communities gain traction globally, the Philippines, too, will soon have its taste of such a residence that has your wellness as priority.

At Empress, future residents will surely revel from the joys of living in the heart of a bustling city while fostering a sense of self and a sense of community, through a space designed to have all the elements necessary to achieve balance and wellness—concepts that have become increasingly elusive and even priceless, amid the fast and exciting pace of lifestyle in most major urban centers.

So what is this lifestyle all about? Six things will tell you six ways how Empress will help improve your well-being.

1
Smart home

Technology gave rise to a new level of comfort and convenience as it now allows you to complete some of your tasks, errands and even business transactions with just a few taps on your phone.

And it’s that kind of lifestyle that awaits at Empress given its smart living features. A mobile phone app allows you to easily control your unit’s smoke detector, smart plug (for your smart TVs and kitchen appliances), IR control smart aircon, smart light switch, temperature sensor, and contact sensor (door, motion and water).

2
Mindful designs

A home designed for wellness should be able to reduce the stress one has to face every day and hence, it has to be mindful of the residents’ needs.

For the future residents of Empress, they no longer need to bother with certain details when they move in as units would already have a lavatory with vanity cabinets, integrated microwave oven cabinet, a WiFi router cabinet, built-in shower bench, built-in cabinets with lights, kitchen cabinets with task lights, USB ports in all the bedrooms, as well as an intercom with videophone.

3
Color therapy

Scores of studies have shown that colors can influence one’s well-being and stimulate positive emotional responses. The wrong use of these colors, whether too much or lack of, may however have an adverse impact on the residents.

Empress knows all too well that color can have a tremendous influence on the emotions and physical health of an individual and hence, it considered the impressions of a color and the kind of message it conveys.

For instance, red is said to bring warmth, energy and stimulation while blue can help calm breathing and heart rate. The color green is said to help calm the nervous system whereas yellow is seen to bring a sense of security. Such colors have been strategically integrated in the common spaces at Empress as these are seen important in creating the psychological mood or ambience to support the function of a particular space.

4
Biophilic design

Empress will allow you to nurture a connection with nature without needing to travel far and leave the convenience of your home. Within Empress, you’ll find pockets of spaces with lush greens and blooms that are sure to soothe your frazzled nerves.

Ortigas & Co. believes that the use of plants in spaces can create a natural and human-centered approach that can help improve work and living spaces that offer numerous benefits to one’s health and well-being. More specifically, a biophilic design as that of Empress, can help reduce stress, improve cognitive function, and even enhance mood and creativity.

5
Balanced living

In feng shui, it’s all about balance. It’s through having that balance that you are able to promote peace and harmony within a space, and allow positive energy to flow through your home.

Certified master feng shui consultant Joyce M. Co noted that the design features and components of the Empress present the five elements namely water (also representing the color blue), with the swimming pool; wood (green), with the use of natural plants and wood; fire (red), with good lighting in the so-called active areas; metal (white/silver/gold), with the use of these color tones throughout the building; and earth (yellow), as represented in the careful planning of structural design and materials used.

“The use of these five elements basically constitute the basic principles of feng shui. You can see these in the Empress’ color therapy palettes which were used in the strategic places where there is a need to produce, subdue and control certain areas to create a well-balanced space,” Co explained.

Amenities at the Empress were also carefully planned and strategically divided into two areas namely the quiet zone, where you’ll find the garden, wellness lawn and reading room, and the active zone, where the pools, lounge areas and play areas, among others, are located. These zones, Co said, are basically attributed to the “yin and yang” thus, creating a perfect balance of spaces based on their function.

6
Sustainable living

Beyond all these features that make Empress an ideal home in the bustling metro, there are sustainable measures being employed to ensure that this 56-storey tower will last for future generations to enjoy, but with a reduced carbon footprint to benefit the environment.

This is why Ortigas & Co. is ensuring that the Empress is green building compliant, through the provision of open spaces, a materials recovery facility and rainwater collection tank, among other features.