OVER four decades since the establishment of vast gated subdivisions from 50 to over 100 hectares in the suburbs of Metro Manila, urban-planning studies reveal that smaller, more intimate communities are more likely over the long term to become well-managed neighborhoods with the ability to deliver required services and to respond to change.
An upscale community where neighbors have many opportunities to relate and collaborate with one another gives rise to a more cohesive and nimble homeowners group, according to Raymond Hernandez, a partner of H1 Architecture, master planners and architects of The Enclave Alabang, managed by Filinvest Alabang Inc. (FAI).
FAI is a subsidiary of listed property firm Filinvest Development Corp. It is focused on building high-end residential projects and townships like Filinvest City in Manila and City di Mare in Cebu. The Enclave Alabang is an intimate 10.5-hectare residential community along the dynamic and rapidly growing Daang Hari corridor in Southern Metro Manila within a short drive from stores, schools and other institutions. It is easily accessible from the South Luzon Expressway through the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway.
Catherine Ilagan, FAI executive vice president, relates that the Filinvest Group has gained traction in building high-end residential projects and communities in the past decade. Its successful projects in Alabang include Botanika Nature Residences, which will turn over Tower I units to homeowners beginning in the last quarter of 2017; and Bristol at Parkway Place, which was topped off last July this year. FAI is also managing Cebu top-end residential projects Umi Garden Suites and Serulyan Seascapes Mactan. She revealed that at The Enclave Alabang, only a few of the 169 lots ranging from 304 square meters to 597 sq m are left unsold. The subdivision is scheduled for turnover in 2017.
Hernandez said The Enclave Alabang was designed to allow homeowners many interactions with nature and with one another. “Our design intent was to expand the living space beyond the individual owner’s property line to the communal facilities, like the Central Park and its man-made lagoon.’’ Beyond their property lines, residents are enticed toward the park by lush landscaped walkways that lead to this green central amenity.
Within the park itself are paths that wind around a visually calming lagoon, where homeowners are encouraged to stroll alongside each other and chat as they appreciate the greenery. They are also invited to gather with their kids at the children’s playground, its unique watchtower or the seating areas—perfect for enjoying the cloudscapes of Daang Hari at different times of the day.
The community’s sense of place is further enhanced by its highly appropriate tropical modern theme. The architecture of the clubhouse, the entry way and other relevant buildings are all a response to the warm humid climate of Metro Manila. The clubhouse, for instance, makes use of double volume spaces to encourage hot air to rise out of the building and of cross ventilation to keep the place naturally cool. Wide overhangs and balconies are other ways to keep the sun and rain out of the rooms they protect.
“You can say The Enclave Alabang is a gathering of relevant ideas and meticulous planning to create an inspiring community,” Hernandez observes. Its quick take-up rate attests to the relevance of these ideas to its market of upper end Southern Metro Manila residents.