Life’s a beach

Written by Anjo Alimario

Sunday, 07 March 2010 17:49

A “life-enhancing project” is about to change the course of urban residences as paradise finds its spot in Metro Manila and offers an overwhelming wave of blue via its man-made beach, perfect for its name—Azure. Century Properties, led by its chairman Ambassador Jose E.B. Antonio, is more than proud to introduce not only its newest project, Azure, but also its new subsidiary, Century Limitless. Azure, a joint-venture project of Century Properties and Columbian Motors Group of Companies, offers “quality residential developments at affordable prices.” According to Antonio, out of 95 million Filipinos, 45 million are below 20 years old. “This means when these people graduate and join the ranks of the employed people, they will make their own career. They will increase the size of the middle class,” he said. It is precisely this middle-income group that’s one of the primary markets that Azure is eyeing to penetrate. Azure Urban Resort Residences is a nine-building resort development situated in Parañaque City. The first building, Rio, is inspired by the famous Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. It will have 20 floors and 756 residential units. No less than the award-winning master-planning firm Broadway Malyan created the “sustainable design and lifestyle concept” for Azure. Eighty percent of the entire residences is dedicated to open space, amenities, landscaping and a circumferential road around the property; and only 20 percent is allotted to the residential buildings. The decision to launch an urban-resort residential development was a result of thorough consultations with their partners, employees and previous clients. Through these consultations, they discovered one enduring quality among Filipinos, and that is their love for beach vacations. Filipinos work very hard, and when there is a chance to go on vacation, the most popular choice is a beach destination. “So we thought, why not bring the beach closer to the city, and right into the amenity area of our residential complex? That way, our buyers won’t need to go too far or spend too much to enjoy a beach-inspired vacation, and they can come home to a relaxing place after a tiring day at work every day,” executive vice president for vertical developments John Victor Antonio said. The building is enveloped by nature above and below, from the gardens on the rooftops to the beach facility right outside the ground floor. Every unit at Azure rewards its residents with man-made beach or urban-space views that showcase the harmony of nature and modern living. “Families can take advantage of the beach through different water activities like beach volleyball, jet ski and sandcastle building,” John Victor Antonio said. Azure offers standard bare units and fully-fitted units with two contemporary interior designs to choose from—the stylish, modern, and clean Downtown Chic, and the more classic-contemporary Asian Modern. Chat Fores created two interior design themes for Rio buyers who will avail of fully fitted and fully furnished units. The project is designed to suit the residents’ desire for a resort-style living and the need for functional space. Ample areas for living and dining room, bedroom, bathroom, kitchen and balconies have been created to adapt with the urban residents’ lifestyle. An average price for a 27-sq-m Rio unit is P1.8 million. Azure’s distinction lies in the passion that Century Properties put into the projects. “We always endeavor to push the envelope and apply the best practices in the industry into each new development,” John Victor Antonio said. Foresight in each new concept, even if it takes months of research and refining, serves as the company’s spine to ensure their concept of “life-enhancing.” For Azure alone, it took its creators eight months to a year to perfect the project. “We want to create not a commodity but something the affordable market segment can avail of,” John Victor Antonio said. “Our philosophy is to strive to create projects which are architecturally significant and offer one-of-a-kind experience. We want to create lasting impressions on the skyline of the Philippines,” he added. Being in the business for 24 years, Century Properties has built over 22 buildings (with over 4,200 units) and 665 homes, and manages 45 buildings totaling 1.9 million square meters. According to the company, the property industry here in the Philippines will continue to grow, mainly because the country still has a 600,000 backlog for housing and has a growing middle class. In addition, the middle-class segment of society is growing. Overseas, the country has 11 million documented professionals and workers; and here, spending power is increasing because of the emergence of industries such as business-process outsourcing, construction and real estate. The continuous growth of this population only means there will be a consistent demand for housing. Azure is a short drive away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Makati, Alabang Town Center, Festival Mall, Magallanes Village, Ayala Alabang Village, Villamor Golf Club, the Asian Hospital in Alabang, and schools such as Southville International School, Southridge School and De La Salle Santiago Zobel School. The site of Azure is strategically located eight minutes from Alabang and Makati. Close to the vicinity of Azure are specialty stores, supermarkets, banks, commercial establishments and health-and-wellness facilities. “We want to give a product that’s not only affordable but is life-enhancing. You don’t only buy a home but you buy a lifestyle. We want to enhance the lifestyle of the average Filipinos and give the value of what they pay for,” Ambassador Antonio said.