ArthaLand future-proofs Arya Residences by design

by Mary Ann Ll. Reyes (The Philippine Star) Updated April 21, 2010 12:00 AM

Being relatively new in the property development business is not easy, considering the intensity of competition and the financial muscle many of the players wield. Buyers are literally wined and dined by real estate companies, offering the best

possible deals, the choicest locations, and a host of project features and amenities. It has become a buyers’ market and every possible niche and market segment seems to be already adequately addressed.

But publicly listed ArthaLand Corporation is unfazed.

Incorporated as a propertie holding company in 1994, the company took on its new

name in early 2009 as it assumed its role in the property development industry.

Company beginnings

Armed with several valuable property, including three lots inside the Bonifacio Global

City, and others located in Tagaytay, Batangas, and Davao, ArthaLand needed somebody with vast experience in the real estate sector.

Angela de Villa-Lacson was the perfect choice to head the company. Her many years of working with premier real estate developer Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) gave her valuable insights into how a relatively small newcomer can create waves and establish its name and reputation in an industry dominated by giants.

Lacson, who concurrently headed ALI’s residential business group (Ayala Land

Premier and Community Innovations Inc., now Alveo Land and Avida) and Ayala Land Premier and is credited for growing ALI’s residential business, admits that there are pros and cons with working

with a smaller outfit.

“There are more challenges. With a smaller company, you can’t have the same organizational services. At ArthaLand where we have 30 staff members (which is about the size of

one sales division), we are all multi-tasking. There are advantages though to being smaller. We can make strategic decisions fast and the discussions that go into these decisions are done very quickly. When you are big, you tend to be less flexible. And of course, you need more approvals before you can arrive at a decision,” she said.

Another reason why Lacson, who has always worked with multinationals and big conglomerates since she started her professional life, decided to join ArthaLand is the openness of management to challenges and risks.

ArthaLand’s vision

ArthaLand derives its name from the Sanskrit word Artha which means purpose, knowledge, wealth. It is one of man’s ultimate goals in life along with love (Kama), righteousness (Dharma) and freedom (Moksha)

The company is a boutique developer focused in creating superior environments worthy of its stakeholders’ investment, esteem, and trust. It is dedicated to creating worldclass workspaces, homes and landscapes to deliver an enduring treasure to its customers: a better way of living, beginning today.

“By being a boutique developer, we are focused on creating thoughtfully designed developments. Each one is unique in its environment, architecture and positioning. We strive to be future proof by design to ensure the development remains relevant in the face of shifting market trends and demands long after the project has been delivered.” Lacson explained.

First salvo

ArthaLand’s tagline, Future Proof by Design, is best seen in its plans for its first project, Arya Residences.

To be built at one of the best locations inside the Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Arya

Residences is a top-end, mixed use, two-tower condominium development, that is set to change the rules of the game – being the first and only residential high-rise in the Philippines to be registered with the US Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy

and Environmental Design) program with a certification goal of gold.

ArthaLand’s decision to go green and sustainable for its project is largely a result of the

company’s overall vision to deliver sustainable developments. It is ArthaLand’s response to a shifting global trend towards healthier environments that enable people to live well, and live right.

Being green and sustainable has become a much used and abused battlecry and marketing pitch for many developers.

“A lot of developments are claiming to be green. This is probably brought about largely by landscaping. Of course, the more greens you have, the more carbon dioxide will be absorbed. It helps to have a lot of trees and plants. But that alone will not give you a LEED certification,” she pointed out.

ArthaLand opted to register with the LEED program and work towards a gold certification largely to ensure that its plans for Arya Residences are in line with world standards for sustainability and green buildings.

“We want to be validated. One of the most difficult certifications to secure is in residential development because, unlike office buildings, the measures are made when the project is fully operational with residents actually living in it ,” she said.

She pointed out that from a philosophical and business point of view, only a few know of ArthaLand. “We are a new company and we want to compete. We have to be different to be able to compete. If this means being truly green and sustainable, then we believe that is the way to go,” she said.

Lacson emphasized that they have always felt that they can always do things better. “We owe it to our buyers. After all, 80 to 90 percent of those who buy residential properties buy only once

during their lifetime. All their lifetime savings goes into buying these units. If choosing a home will affect their lives and we do it the wrong way, isn’t that cheating?” she said.

Arya Residences features

Arya’s two buildings will consist of 301 units and will have one, two and three-bedroom types. Construction is scheduled for this quarter (Q2 2010) while handover to clients will begin in the fourth quarter of 2013.

ArthaLand’s first project has green and sustainable features starting from the building’s design to the units’ features. Arya Residences will have a dual water piping system to recycle rain and grey water. Its units will have dual-flush toilet fixtures to save on water. The faucets have aerators, which make it seem like water is overflowing without being wasteful.

The project is the first residential development to opt in to the centralized water treatment facility of Bonifacio Global City. By putting in a dual-piping system within the building, it allows residents more efficient water usage with separate supply systems for potable and non-potable uses (i.e. garden irrigation, toilet flushing, etc.).

Meanwhile, the balconies have been designed to be just the right size to accommodate alfresco dining. But the balconies also provide shade for the unit below, reducing heat and giving protection from the rains. The units are also designed to accommodate generous light but at the same time shielding them from too much heat. Operable windows are customsized and allow for natural ventilation. The whole complex itself was designed to capture breezes and channel them to common and private spaces.

The two towers of Arya Residences are designed to foster a greener way of life without sacrificing aesthetics or comfort. To start, the buildings will take up only one-third of the 6,357-sq.m. property.

Arya’s towers are not identical. Tower One is a rectangular balconied structure, while Tower Two is elliptical. Both towers are designed to accommodate balconies and for the first tower, about 95 percent of the units will

have balconies.

The architects have positioned the buildings in such a way that east-west sun exposure is minimized, so the two buildings have most of their units facing north and south in order to reduce heat absorption. This leads to lower air-con usage and power consumption. With that orientation, the units will be awash in natural light and will allow the breeze from outside and the wind channeled between the two towers to cool the units.

Air-conditioning systems are also built into the units, to be chosen by ArthaLand, to ensure that the systems are environmentally sustainable and in line with the energy-saving conditions set by LEED.

To attain gold certification, Arya Residences must be able to achieve at least 40 percent savings in terms of water and 14 percent in energy. “At present, we are conducting energy modellings to be able to offer proof that the features that we have adopted indeed are going to meet the gold standards,” Lacson said.

Green can be affordable

Lacson explained that while Arya Residences is premium-priced, it is competitive within the category even with its LEED design features. “True, being green and sustainable has its costs and there is a cost premium to it, but we are absorbing these and not passing them on to our buyers. We are setting the standard for green condominium living in the country and hopefully, others will follow. Choosing to build a green and sustainable building will not only be good for our buyers but will also redound to the benefit of the country,” she said.

But not everything that is green and sustainable is practical. “Yes you can use solar panels as walls but it is not practical and the technology is too expensive to adopt. But even if it means more costs to us, we will do it, provided it is practical. In fact we are considering using a certain kind of glass that will reduce the absorption of heat and noise. It has to always be the right balance between cost and benefit because after all, we want to provide what is practical to our residents. she added.

Looking back and into the future

Lacson, who has been with the real estate development business for 12 years now, says a lot has changed.

“Before, condominium living wasn’t even accepted. Buying a house and lot was still preferred and townhouses were even preferred over condominiums,” she said.

But because people want to be closer to their workplace and to avoid traffic, city living, particularly in condominiums, became much sought after.

Lacson, with her extensive experience selling affordable to high-end living spaces, says ArthaLand is open to the idea of going into other segments of the market. “Aside from the properties that we own, we are also open to joint developments with landowners,” she revealed.

By opting to work towards LEED gold certification for its maiden project, Lacson said they hope that when the time comes that the Philippines adopts its own green standards, they would have more than complied and are prepared to connect with the programs.

She admits that it will take some time before the Philippines joins other countries like the United States, Australia and Singapore which have adopted their own green ratings systems, though there are efforts by some groups in the industry to come up with the country’s own set of standards and certification mechanism.

“It all depends on how serious the country will be in terms of sustainability.The support of government is needed for us to be truly green. But since we are still very far behind other countries, we at ArthaLand are just anticipating that in the future, we will have our own standards. At least, we have already done our part and we are ready. True, we can always retrofit our buildings, but the architecture will change completely and there will be too much disturbance for our residents, not to mention the additional cost that will be entailed from retrofitting. As our tagline says, we are future proof by design. We are ready for whatever future green standards we will adopt. In case we end up now having our own standards, at least our residents will immediately benefit from our green and sustainable buildings. Being green and sustainable will no longer be an effort for our residents, they simply have to live in our buildings,” Lacson stressed.

Asian architecture

Written by Rizal Raoul Reyes

Sunday, 18 April 2010 16:55

DMCI Homes adopts Balinese design for East Raya Gardens Asian architecture is becoming a popular design among developers because everybody seems to want to bring an Asian touch inside their homes. DMCI Homes is quick to respond to the trend and it has been successful in taking Indonesian-inspired architecture in its East Raya Gardens project. Alma Florendo, project director of DMCI Homes, said East Raya Gardens will have a Balinese-themed development that promises security, privacy, exclusivity and easy access to all essential establishments in the metropolis. “East Raya Gardens will have seven wonderfully designed medium-rise buildings. The clustering of the structures and the spatial arrangement of each component was carefully designed for the convenience and comfort of residents,” Florendo said during the blessing of model units of East Raya Gardens. To give owners the experience of a garden atmosphere, Florendo said all East Raya Gardens buildings will feature single-loaded corridors opening up to landscaped central-atrium indoor gardens, creating a refreshing and healthy environment for its residents. Aside from giving a refreshing sight inside the buildings, she said DMCI Homes made sure the design allows the entry of natural light and ventilation. Aside from providing a pleasing aesthetic design to its projects, Florendo said DMCI Homes also gave priority to the safety aspect, which was brought to the limelight with the onslaught of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in the latter part of 2009. It would be recalled that the residential cities of Pasig, Marikina and Cainta particularly bore the brunt of the storm, its roads and subdivisions flooded to unimaginable levels and resulting in the loss of lives and properties. With East Raya Gardens, Florendo said DMCI Homes, located in Pasig, was spared from severe flooding within its project site. A medium-density development sprawled on a 2.9-hectare prime property along Mercedes Avenue, its location was able to withstand the deluge of rising floodwaters. Florendo said the resilience can be credited to the comprehensive project planning conducted by DMCI Homes. Furthermore, she said DMCI Homes carries a wealth of experience in construction from its parent company DMCI, one of the engineering and construction giants in the country. DMCI Homes is the country’s first triple-A builder/developer with a wealth of experience backed by DMCI, which has been present for more than 50 years in the construction and development industry. Through DMCI Homes’ property-management team, Florendo said DMCI Homes can deliver immediate assistance to each resident’s needs, such as general maintenance of common areas, utilities application and payment assistance, move-in assistance, realty-tax payment assistance, taxi call-in service, organization of community events and even newspaper-delivery service. East Raya Gardens offers two-bedroom (56.5 and 64 sq m) and three-bedroom (88 sq m) units, each with a balcony and a service area on the roof deck. The efficiently laid-out two-bedroom unit is ideal for start-up families, while the more spacious three-bedroom unit is suitable for growing families who value space and comfort.

Victorian living

Written by Roderick L. Abad

Sunday, 18 April 2010 16:52

South Hampton brings the classic design concept to Santa Rosa, Laguna Many Filipinos still dream of living a quiet life outside the bustling metropolis. It is for this reason that NorthPine Land Inc. (NLI) chose Santa Rosa City, Laguna, as the perfect location for its newest residential project—the South Hampton. “This is the first Victorian-inspired community of its kind in the fast-emerging investment capital of South Luzon that offers modern convenience within reach of the middle class,” NLI general manager Rhoel Alberto Nolido told the BusinessMirror. South Hampton is a 5-hectare house-and-lot residential project, with a novel European concept that stems from that of the country’s world-class theme park, Enchanted Kingdom, which is just a stone’s throw from its site. With chic, elegant design, the project premise reflects the grandeur of the Victorian era or the classic England period. Named after queens in England such as Lady Jane, Mary, Ann and Elizabeth, the model houses showcase design elements that can easily be recognized and classified as truly Victorian—ornamental embellishments, porches with vertical railings, steep gables and fine adornments as roof accents, decorative braces and brackets, bay windows with shutters, and complex asymmetrical shapes. The colors—Morning Glow, Dove White, Evening Eclipse, Shark Loop and primary colors—exude the palette typical also of the Victorian style. “So expect comfort living in style here,” Nolido said. “It’s a good project in line with our company’s mission to build a community wherein you can interact with your neighbors.” Targeting the heads of start-up families aged 28 to 40 with middle-management positions planning to reside in an accessible suburban area, this residential project offers 200 two-story house and lots. Space-wise, lot cuts range from 120 to 150 sq m, while the floor areas range from 80 to 150 sq m, including the living area, balcony and the garage. For entrepreneurs, the two-phase subdivision offers 20 lease-to-own commercial lots designed after shop houses, where they can reside and do business at the same time. Since it lies within the commercialized area of Santa Rosa, where various infrastructure developments are ongoing like the expansion of the South Luzon Expressway and the Skyway, land appreciation in the future is practically guaranteed. “South Hampton is indeed a good choice for our buyers,” Nolido stressed. “It not only offers prime sophistication and luxury to future residents, but also a good investment opportunity for them.” Superb amenities True to its Victorian style, which became an architectural fashion starting in the late 1800s, the South Hampton residential project boasts of superb amenities that promise every resident a luxurious lifestyle. Some of the project features are the clubhouse, children’s playground with minipark, adult and kiddie pool, basketball court, entrance gate, guardhouse and pedestrian gate, planting strips along main and service roads, elevated water tank, gazebo and cabanas. “What’s nice about this project is that it’s a walkable subdivision. The amenities are centralized such that they are accessible and near the residents, thus, allowing them to just walk going there,” Nolido. “And it builds a community where everyone can just go to the gathering place in the middle. That, I think, is what makes South Hampton very unique.” Since it’s a gated subdivision with a perimeter fence, security is always assured. Complementing this is the 24-hour security service provided by the usual two guards posted in the entrance gate and a roving one. Unlike other similar residential projects, South Hampton boasts of a semiunderground electrical system wherein overhead cables and wirings can be seen only along the main road, while those on the secondary roads are installed underground. “If you notice in other subdivisions, all the electrical wires are overhead, hanging on the post. With our semiunderground electrical-wiring system, it’s a lot better and nicer to look at, wherein you can fly kites if you want,” noted Nolido. Another valuable feature is the drainage system to be built in front of South Hampton. This assures buyers that heavy rains won’t trigger serious flooding that would affect the whole subdivision. Nolido revealed that NLI has conducted a 30-year flood study to determine what the level of the road should be. He added that they would also provide a deep-well water system to ensure continuous supply of water. Even after the development of the project, the property developer shall maintain its presence in the subdivision by organizing the home-owners’ association. “We will do our best to be as involved as possible in terms of maintaining and running the [homeowners’] association. And we promise to always deliver on that,” said Nolido. Ongoing development TO date, land development of Phase 1 is running smoothly, according to Nolido. This, he said, indicates only that the completion of the road would be on time—projected by middle of this year—and also the commencement of the construction of houses by the third quarter. “That’s one good thing about a house-and-lot project like us. We are in a sell-and-build mode, meaning we wait for the sale to come in and then we construct the houses,” he explained. “This assures our buyers that what they purchased from us are newly constructed and in good quality once turned over to them.” Given the positive response to the project since its launch early last month, Nolido expressed optimism that NLI could meet its target of two years to sell out all their house-and-lot offerings. “We will probably move to Phase 2 immediately because the response has been very good,” he pointed out. “So if land development [of Phase 1] will be finished by midyear, expect the first resident to be in by around second quarter of 2011.” While the project is still in its land-development stage, NLI has already extended the project’s down-payment terms to 30 percent over 18 months (interest-free), and the balance is payable either through house or bank financing. Prices of model houses at South Hampton range from P3 million to P5 million. As a customer-driven company, Nolido said that through the expanded payment conditions, NLI gives buyers ample time and means to meet their obligations. “Our strength comes from both the company and our track record,” Nolido said, when asked why potential homeowners should trust the company and eventually consider living in South Hampton. “Our company is owned by four major shareholders: 40 percent is owned by Hong Kong Land, which is one of the top real-estate companies in Hong Kong; 20 percent by BDO; 20 percent by Metrobank; and 20 percent by San Miguel Properties. These are the titans in the [real estate] industry; therefore, they [the buyers] will be assured that the project will be completed. “And given our other existing projects such as Lexington and Greenwoods, among others, where the quality of products is very good, our track record indeed speaks for itself. We are a real-estate developer that is after the high quality of our products. We’re not really mass producers. We try as much as we can to give the type of attention to each homeowner. This is because we believe that for buyers, this [the acquired property] is a major investment in their lives. So we have the responsibility to provide them with a good-quality shelter.”