Tagô: Paying homage to Filipino architecture

LUXURIOUS Philippine indigenous materials will fill every interior of a Tagô home.

An iconic community could only be realized by developers that are able to bring the essence of the location’s natural surroundings into the project’s every aspect—from the building materials and design elements employed to the type of furnishings and green spaces created.

Pioneering the concept of artisanal real estate—referring to how extremely concerned with details a house or a community is built, employing skills that combine Filipino craftsmanship and unrivaled passion for property management—Mañosa Properties Inc. (MPI) has created living spaces meticulously designed by experts in the craft.

“Our architectural heritage has always been anchored on the bahay kubo which manifests the design philosophy of our architect father. Such elements of the bahay kubo have evolved to what we now recognize as contemporary, environment-friendly homes made to span generations as depicted by our first two landmark projects—Lantana Lane and Ylang Lane in New Manila, Quezon City,” said Mañosa Properties Inc. (MPI) founder and CEO Dino Mañosa, the eldest son of world-renowned architect Francisco “Bobby” Mañosa. Dino, who is also president of Mañosa and Co. Inc. (MPI is its real estate arm), introduced to the media Tagô, a soon-to-rise exclusive community located on Bonifacio Drive in Tagaytay City (hidden behind the Lourdes Church).

With Tagô, MPI is set to carve out a unique community that will pay homage to all the things important to families—safe, environment-friendly and meticulously built dwellings located on tranquil surroundings and situated near destinations for dining, shopping, entertainment and sightseeing.

In planning for this highly desirable community, Dino explained that design guidelines have been established to ensure that MPI’s design philosophy is not compromised. The result is a place that is set to command high value and great appreciation from its future residents.

Premier address

According to Dino, hundreds of hours were spent working on Tagô’s masterplan, carefully designing the place for it to become a premier address in the heart of Tagaytay City. An entry arbor enveloped in rich foliage is imagined to open up to each home that is connected by gardens, which will complement the tranquil surroundings intrinsic to the city. Hence, the ease of heading back to this landscape is a feature future residents will look forward to, especially since Tagô is just a leisurely drive away from the commercial strips, tourist destinations, dining spots of Tagaytay and Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

TAGÔ Tagaytay will carry the Mañosa’s signature Filipino-inspired architectural designs.

Tagô will offer only 52 two-story homes—13 house and lot units for the Tagô House A design, and 39 house and lot units for Tagô House B. While the P20-million Tagô House A units will have a 304-square-meter total floor area and will be situated on 400-sq-m lots, each of the P15-million Tagô House B units will have a 227-sq-m floor area and with lots that vary from 240 to 300 sq m.

The design of a Tagô home will incorporate a split interpretation of the high-pitched bahay kubo roof, which includes deep overhangs and sunshades to protect the façade from rain and direct solar radiation. High ceilings, wide windows and a center space will also be present for cross-ventilation and for natural sunlight to illuminate the interiors. Meanwhile, bamboo, coconut, mat weaving, native stones, as well as recycled lumber and mix of farmed and reclaimed wood will be maximized to lower carbon footprint and allow contemporary Filipino green design to come alive.

Fascinated

Dino said: “The bahay kubo is one of the most recognized Philippine icons. My father was fascinated that this type of dwelling was already in existence before the Spaniards came and interestingly, after almost five centuries, one could still find this house anywhere in the Philippines.”

Architect Angelo Mañosa, Mañosa, MCI chief executive officer, explained that the bahay-kubo is a climate-resilient and time-tested housing design. He added: “It has so many design elements that make sense for our tropical climate. Interestingly, my father and this company have been able to update these elements and applied them to every project that we made. These elements not only made our houses more suitable to our tropical climate but also a lot more sustainable.”

“Apart from employing several characteristics and features of the bahay kubo, a Tagô home will also feature clear space at the center that helps in the passive cooling, allows cross-ventilation as well as natural sunlight to illuminate the interiors,” Angelo said.

The crisp climate of Tagaytay City also served as MCI designers’ inspiration for Tagô’s open layout. As a result, green zones and air passages will be integrated to bring the outdoor setting inside and let the homes breathe.

Signature design

Bambi Mañosa, MCI’s interior design director and chief creative officer, described that Tagô’s future residents would surely love the Mañosa signature staircase that features señorita steps that will make it easy for multiple generations—little children and the elderly most especially—to move up or down the house.

Bambi said: “From the same team who designed the Edsa Shrine and the headquarters of San Miguel Corp. in Ortigas, Coconut Palace in Pasay, Amanpulo in Palawan, Pearl Farm in Davao, Shangri-La Mactan in Cebu, Tagô will extensively use engineered bamboo floor planks with wooden baseboard, natural stones, and even ceiling fans that add extra ventilation. The kitchen features fittings equipped with German-made ‘quiet-open-quiet-close’ system. An original Filipino design element, the ‘banggerahan,’ is also added for natural drying of dishes as well as Mañosa-designed wooden wall lamps.”

According to Dino, the MPI hallmark of designing green communities, including Tagô, is much intensified by the fact that the whole project will adhere to the Philippine Green Building Council’s “Berde” rating system. Berde is the country’s own rating system for green buildings, a certification, monitoring and verification scheme. Similar to the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design in the United States, Berde is a rating tool established to advocate sustainable design and building initiatives in the country.

Other environmental considerations for Tagô will be a rainwater collection system that optimizes the use of water for plant irrigation and other needs. Additionally, all organic waste from each home will be composted and be used in the garden.

Dino said: “What we will have in Tagô are pioneering designs and work that put more emphasis on sustainability and environmentally responsible construction practices. Indeed, Tagô in Tagaytay City will prove that it is possible to live a green lifestyle while still enjoying modern comforts.”