A fitting sanctuary in the countryside

BUILDING a chapel was one of the owner’s requests.

What would you do if you are all set to retire, had tons of money saved for this particular eventuality, and have about 13 hectares of land sitting idle on the outskirts of Tagaytay City?

Simple: take the services of a consummate architect and ask him to transform your undeveloped lot into a nice and cozy country cum retirement home.

This was exactly what one repacking business executive did when he finally reached the age of 60 two years ago. Longing for a place where he could just laze away the day and enjoy the cool and windy weather of Tagaytay he commissioned architect Romeo Sicam (of RCSicam and Associates) as he has no idea on how to proceed with his plan.

“The owner gave me a free hand in what I wanted to design and do although he just have a few ‘request’: that the place should have a chapel, a house for both of his two daughters as well as to donate three hectares to the city government (of Tagaytay) with a specific requirement that it should be for housing a number of indigent families living around the property,” Sicam related.

He said that considering the size of the property, the owner could have partnered with a developer and earn some more money (from a housing project that may be built). “But he opted for a life less complicated, even donated a significant portion of the property and requested to remain unnamed for this article,” Sicam explained.

This gesture inspired Sicam to help his client build a country home worthy of the place’s scenic surroundings.

“Working for this particular project is no piece of cake. While the place has excellent topography, it’s elevated and has panoramic mountain views. It is, however, located far from the main road and could only be accessed through a narrow rocky path,” Sicam remembered.

THE 3-STORY mansion is actually a duplex to house the owner’s two daughters.

The owner did not hesitate to spend some more for the building of a kilometer-long, 5-meter wide concrete access road. “With a descent road now in place, the owner also helped a lot of families in the area who operate small farms and had to sell their produce,” he said.

Expansive property

With the road now in place, Sicam’s next challenge was how to develop such an expansive property. “Initially, my team thought of building a Mediterranean resort-type property. But after a few brainstorming, we decided that a modern Asian-inspired haven would be much appropriate. A rustic, wooden cabin would also be great but maintenance and longevity would be a problem so we decided to utilize stronger materials like steel and concrete,” Sicam explained.

“Modern Asian concept is very appropriate for this particular project. The house’s interior is a compromise between dark traditional wood furniture and neutral creme color theme. All furniture, lighting, doors and ceiling decor elements are done in that style. The windows around the house are quite big so as to allow enough natural light to highlight all the things inside,” he described.

Considering the elevation of the property, he also noted that any structure that would be built will be exposed to strong winds as well as harsh sunlight (a reason the pool area is covered and why there are lots palm trees and trellises around the property).

Sicam’s next challenge is to ensure that all the palm trees and shrubberies will continue to grow. “They are still young and need constant attention. However, with the water pipe network we have installed, watering them would not be a problem,” said Sicam, who compared the maintenance of the property to a typical golf course.