The Sky Lounge on the 40th floor offers views of the metropolis and Laguna de Bay.

Also feeling the pinch of surging land prices in central business districts, luxury condominium dwellers have settled for more compact units.

In the ‘90s, top-end units averaged from 100 to 200 sqm according to Carmelo Casas who heads Casas+Architects Inc., architect of record of Filinvest City’s luxury development Bristol. These days, affluent residents are snapping up one-bedroom and two-bedroom units that are typically 60 sqm and 100 sqm respectively.

“Homeowners today want everything within walking distance from where they live or work or at least, easy reach,” he explained citing traffic as the great deterrent to mobility. Thus, successful executives, entrepreneurs and professionals are opting to live in business districts like Filinvest City in southern Metro Manila where land values are rising due to its strategic location. They are now trading space for greater convenience.

Nevertheless, top-end developments like Bristol help them adapt to city living easily by offering a wide range of amenities. In addition to the standard swimming pool and function rooms, the iconic 40-storey project at the gateway of Filinvest City also offers a fitness center with sauna and locker rooms, a yoga deck, entertainment center where they can hold private film showings, a library, children’s gym play and even a sky lounge. It also has its own retail strip intended for boutiques, delis and the like.

More options

For unit owners who enjoy entertaining guests, the options at Bristol are many, according to Casas who has more than two decades experience in designing luxe residential and other developments in Hong Kong, Singapore, China and other global hubs before practicing in Manila. They can throw children’s parties and lawn gatherings at the landscaped pool deck or more elegant cocktails and dinner parties at the function room or the Sky Lounge on the 40th floor of the sleek and slim tower offering magnificent views of the metropolis and Laguna de Bay.

They also have the option to host more intimate gatherings right at their own units.

The open plan of the units allow homeowners to enjoy company even as they prepare food and drinks in the kitchen.

Better yet, the generous windows of the residences let in natural light while revealing the metroscape, an unrivalled backdrop for any celebration.

Ease and accessibility

Bristol buyers, however, look forward the most to just being a few steps from the myriad retail and dining options of Festival Mall; being close to a globally recognized medical facility; and having the sports facilities of Palms Country Club close by.

Many of them will be moving in by 2018 when the project is completed.

In addition, the Alabang area remains one of the last few places in Metro Manila not marred by pollution. Casas disclosed that Bristol’s central location in Filinvest City exposes it to the prevailing Southwest winds or amihan and Northeast winds or habagat.

“It’s a windy area close to Laguna Bay and many people will not exchange this feature for living in the more crowded business districts,’’ he said.

Residents need only to open their windows and the doors to the balconies that are distinct feature of each unit to enjoy the winds. In fact, the common corridors in each floor will be naturally ventilated – a luxury that can probably be enjoyed only in Filinvest City residential condominium developments.

Bristol is part of the Parkway Place neighborhood conceptualized to be an exclusive complex of high rise, high-end residential developments.

This early, its two other neighboring residential condominium projects are already favored by expatriates working in Calabarzon and the industrial parks of Cavite who recognize the unique attractions of the emerging Filinvest City business district and its projects like Bristol.

Source: Manila Bulletin