The Estate Makati: Where sunrise and sunset are always on the menu

Makati is a city best enjoyed from the street: it’s filled with surprises at every corner, with Ayala Avenue providing the soundtrack to your discovery. But for the uninitiated, there is more than one way to experience Makati living—from above. Imagine being able to see the sun rising over lush Urdaneta landscaping from one window, and seeing Makati’s night skyline come alive as the sun sets in another. While there will only be a handful of places that give you rich 270-degree views of the CBD, The Estate Makati lets you enjoy this and more, from the comfort of your own home.

The Estate Makati will be the first Foster + Partners development in the country, and as such it was designed with sustainability and longevity in mind.

The Estate Makati is the brainchild of ST 6747 Resources Corporation (STRC), the joint venture of SMDC and Federal Land, Inc., and Foster + Partners, the multi-awarded British architecture firm. Foster + Partners is known for many iconic landmark structures globally like The Gherkin in London, Apple Park in Cupertino, and the Hong Kong International Airport. This will be Foster + Partners’ debut development in the country, and as such, it was designed with sustainability and longevity in mind. In addition to using passive design techniques which maximize the structure’s strengths, it was also built with sustainable, environmentally-friendly materials and construction techniques vetted by the firm themselves.

A holistic experience
The property was designed to be a series of experiences from the moment one enters from Apartment Ridge Road. Designed to replicate the unique allées present in exclusive villages, the tree-lined driveway extends to Ayala Avenue, ascending almost two meters from street level to increase privacy. It was important for both STRC and Foster + Partners that a percentage of the property be committed to green spaces.

“The connection between nature and physical and mental health is something that we have been investigating for a long time. Extensive evidence demonstrates that biophilic environments – ones that incorporate real elements as well as those that mimic nature – exert a healing effect on the human body. It supports cognitive functions, physical health, and psychological wellbeing, hence aiding the healing process,” says Roland Schnizer, a partner from the British firm.

Local landscape architecture firm, CREARIS, was tasked with creating the green spaces in and around the property. It was of utmost importance to them that the landscaping in The Estate Makati reflected those of local forests and beaches, with most of the plant life on the property being native to the country.

Around 30 percent of the property will be used for green spaces. Local landscape architectural firm CREARIS used various flora and fauna in areas such as the pool deck, sky garden, and the driveway.

“We used Philippine trees and tropical plants. All this combined gives the Estate a landscape which evokes a universal feeling of home no matter how different and personal we define home to be,” said Michael Espiritu, founder and managing director of CREARIS.

Public and private living
As one enters the The Estate Makati, in place of a typical lobby, Foster + Partners designed “pockets” of privacy, which homeowners can escape to or host small numbers of guests in intimate and semi-intimate settings—akin to the function of a living room in more traditional homes. Homeowners may lounge in the pool area or in any of the open green spaces available in the first floor of the building.

Residents can lounge in the sky garden where they can lounge with friends or relax while enjoying the view of the city.

Should vino be their poison of choice, Foster + Partners has designed a wine lounge on the upper floors to maximize the outdoor space and the views of the city. Fitness oriented residents may make the most out of the fitness rooms which come with two yoga rooms, complete with scheduled classes. Function rooms are also available to host larger gatherings and meeting rooms for smaller conferences.

Homes in the sky
Ascending through any one of the eight (two per side) high-speed elevators to any of the units assures homeowners low to no wait times to cross the threshold of their abodes. Foster + Partners gave homeowners carte blanche to design the home of their dreams—or needs.

A column-less layout gives homeowners the choice of how to design their homes, while double slab technology gives them the ability to change it as often as they would need to without disturbing the neighbors or the structural integrity of the building.

A column-less layout gives homeowners the choice of how to layout and design their homes, while double slab technology gives them the ability to change it up as often as they would need to without disturbing the neighbors or the structural integrity of the building. This also allows homeowners to combine two or more units in the building through countless configurations should they need more space for growing families or welcoming elderly parents.

The Estate Makati, being the brainchild of the country’s biggest real-estate conglomerates, assures prospective homeowners the most premium materials and furnishings have been used in their home’s construction. In addition to the three-meter ceiling heights at the residents’ disposal, they will also get to experience a multitude of textures in their homes, with various marbles and tiles being used in the public and service areas of the homes. Bedrooms will feature engineered wood flooring, making it feel cozier and lived in.

Bedrooms will feature engineered wood flooring, making it feel cozier and lived in.

Home cooks will be treated to top-of-the-line kitchen brands such as Miele stove top and oven, a Gaggenau refrigerator, and bulthaup kitchen cabinetry and island creating a premium culinary experience. This will extend to even the service kitchen, which features Elba and SieMatic appliances.

Home cooks will be treated to top-of-the-line kitchen brands such as Miele stove top and oven, a Gaggenau refrigerator, and bulthaup kitchen cabinetry and island creating a premium culinary experience.

But the true star of The Estate Makati homes will be the views of the Makati central business district and the lush landscaping of Urdaneta Village. The cruciform layout of the building gives each home 270-degree views of Makati.

Foster + Partners made sure to optimize the use and function of the windows which surround each unit, angled in such a way the residents are guaranteed privacy from their neighbors or buildings. The window glass is also double-glazed, which means natural light is maximized while dissipating the heat that comes with it. Each window also comes with an “inhabitable façade”, a ledge sitting against the windows—maximizing the use of the space occupied by them.

Each window is angled in such a way the residents are guaranteed privacy from their neighbors or buildings. The window glass is also double-glazed, which means natural light is maximized while dissipating the heat that comes with it.

Designed for the future
The Estate Makati will set the bar higher for residential luxury real estate developments in the country. As with any Foster + Partners development, it was designed with sustainability and longevity at its core. It was through thorough research and development of the Filipino living experience that the British firm was able to make every square inch of The Estate Makati optimized for sustainable and enjoyable living. It brings Filipino families straight into the future and will truly redefine luxury living.

For more information on The Estate Makati, visit www.theestatemakati.com, or email contact@theestatemakati.com.

Source: Manila Bulletin