Tops Redevelopment
Tops Redevelopment Busay, Cebu Client:Fifth Avenue Property Development Location:Cebu, Philippines Building Type: Commercial Mixed-use Site Area: 10,000 sq.m. Total Floor Area: 5,408 sq.m. No. of Storeys: 3 floors Status:Partially Complete Harmony between Old and New Tops is a 1980s lookout in the mountains of Cebu, Philippines, named such because it is located at one of the highest elevations in the city. It is blessed with an unmatched bird’s eye view of a vast urban scape with a backdrop of the beauty of a tropical archipelago. It is one of the locality’s top tourist destinations. The redevelopment project involves the creation of dining, commercial, and entertainment spaces to revitalize the current lookout function. Instead of destroying the existing structure, the architects decided to build around it. The old curved stone divider walls that formerly supported a torus-shaped roof was preserved together with the hexagonal pavement pattern of the main viewing deck. The new three-story building embraces the old lookout and the viewing deck is extended to create a more expansive open space for the appreciation of the site’s most valuable asset – the views. By leveraging the site’s context to highlight its assets and incorporating the positive qualities of the old structures, the proposed development demonstrates an innovative design solution that enhances the site’s overall appeal. The preservation of architectural elements from the old structures adds to the emotional resonance of the design, particularly among locals who take pride in their heritage – in this case, the city itself which is viewed from the development. The design also retains the nostalgia that old-time visitors have for Tops. Highlighting the site’s assets The new building is a steel and concrete structure clad by aluminum louver bands that act as a ventilated façade element and a sunshade for the interior commercial spaces. These bands will also serve as the building’s distinguishable architectural element that “resonates” throughout the whole structure. The use of brown hues is typical of modern vernacular Filipino architecture. The color blends well with the development’s green natural environs and the preserved old architectural elements. Visitors of the new Tops alight in an open circular drop-off area directly connected to the development’s main entrance – a parabolic concrete structure clad with locally sourced stones. The architects wanted a tunnel configuration for the entry to intentionally provide a “shock and awe” transition from the arrival to the main viewing deck. From a semi-enclosed space, visitors get to peek at the viewing deck framed by the old stone divider walls. After a brief walk, the space abruptly shifts to an expansive viewing deck open to the sky. From the center of the circular platform, two artistically designed stair constructions border the city view. These sculptural stairs add to the uniqueness of the place and invite visitors to go up to the upper floors to have more appreciation of the views. These end-to-end access stairs also allow freedom for visitors to roam around the development along the development’s commercial establishments. Back to Projects
La Arcada
L’ ARCADA Zamboanga City Client:Kennlee Development Corp. Location:Zamboanga City, Philippines Building Type: Commercial Site Area: 4,000 sq.m. Total Floor Area: 6,130 sq.m. No. of Storeys: 3 floors Status:Completed Maximizing the shops’ visibility L’ Arcada is a retail strip mall that makes use of the property’s shape to provide a very efficient circulation system and maximize the visibility of the shops from road. The building’s form is defined by its shed roof profile. Slanted bracket elements mimic the eaves support used in some Filipino vernacular architecture. The development exudes a more lively vibe in the evening when the tenant spaces are lighted and add hues to the building’s neutral color. Back to Projects
MAHI
Mahi Mactan Island, Cebu Client:AppleOne Visland Properties Inc. Location:Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu, Philippines Building Type: Mixed-use Site Area: 7,556 sq.m. Total Floor Area: 53,202.50 sq.m. No. of Storeys: 10 floors Status:On-going Construction Beautiful Integration Mahi is a mixed-use complex located within the Mactan Export Processing Zone (MEPZ) consisting of retail areas, a supermarket and a mall within its podium and separate towers for BPOs and a 180-room business hotel to be operated by Marriott International, Inc. It is located along the main road in Lapu-Lapu City and near many commercial establishments as well as the City hall. One of its distinguishing features is a high atrium in the form of an ellipse, which marks the entrance to the mall, wrapped in a skin of perforated metal which gently tapers downward. Sinuous bands of glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) will wrap around the towers on every floor, harmonizing the look of the whole complex. Back to Projects
Bonifacio District
bonifacio disctrict Cebu City, Cebu Client:BF Access Management Ventures, Inc. Location:Cebu City, Philippines Building Type: BPO Office Building Site Area: 5,820 sq.m. Total Floor Area: 50,438 sq.m. No. of Storeys: 15 floors Status:Completed A favorite destination Faustina center is the name of the BPO Office Building in the Bonifacio District complex. The building is at the end of the road between the structures of the development’s commercial strip. The design of the building makes it a climax termination of the said roadway spine. The building accommodates offices equipped with utility redundancy considerations required for BPO offices. It has retail units at the ground floor, function spaces at the roof deck and a helipad. The building floorplate covers the maximum allowable breadth of the property. Despite the massive volume of the structure, the facade design displays a light and convivial look. Back to Projects
Streetscape
Streetscape Cebu City, Cebu Client:Streetscape Dev. Corp. Location:Cebu, Philippines Building Type: Commercial Site Area: 9,220 sq.m. Total Floor Area:17,490 sq.m. No. of Storeys:2-3 floors Status:Completed An iconic strip mall Streetscape was conceptualized to be a neighborhood retail destination for the most exclusive residential area in the city of Cebu. The design of the building “opens out” to its guests, with a façade that features a very wide and spacious corridor. The column and roof configuration make the building appear very light, almost tent-like. The building’s white color allows concessionaires to jazz up their storefronts thus giving the building its soul. On special evenings, the building becomes a dynamic projector screen of colorful light patterns. Back to Projects
Seagrove Mactan
Seagrove Boardwalk Retail Mactan Island, Cebu Client: Cebu Holdings Inc. Location:Punta Engaño, Mactan, Cebu Building Type: Commercial Total Floor Area:8,969 sq.m. No. of Storeys:2 floors Status:Ongoing Construction A retail strip beside the sea This 500-meter-wide seafront promenade mall will be the country’s first boardwalk retail development, bringing an exciting and refreshing mix of retail and entertainment concepts to the “historic resort” island of Mactan. Reminiscent of the great boardwalks of the world, travellers will be treated to leading retail brands and dining options – from the best in Cebuano cuisine, to exotic handicraft shops, to the top global lifestyle and adventure brands. With its wealth of natural attractions and innovative retail concepts, the Seagrove Boardwalk is poised to become one of the first great Philippine Boardwalks as well as one of the most unique mixed-use estates in the country. Text Source : ayalaland.com.ph Back to Projects
Primeway Plaza
Primeway Plaza Cebu City, Cebu Location:Cebu, Philippines Building Type: Mixed-use Commercial Site Area: 2,378 sq.m. Total Floor Area:3,494 sq.m. No. of Storeys:3 floors Status:Completed Instagrammable commercial block Primeway Plaza is located at the very heart of Uptown Cebu near the city’s primary tourist destinations. It is a mixed-use commercial building that houses retail spaces on its lower floors and residential apartment units on its upper floors. The building was planned to maximize the use of the property to achieve maximum leasable space without appearing dense and crowded and ultimately become a major destination in itself. The latter objective is made possible by a façade of slanted walls and columns, a dynamic design which makes it stand out among the much taller buildings in the vicinity. The development is also distinguished by its extensive use of glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC) as a building shell material. Back to Projects
Mercedes & CJD Showroom
Mercedes & GlobalStar Nivel Hillls, Cebu Client:Globalstar, Inc. Location:Cebu, Philippines Building Type: Commercial Site Area: 2,800 sq.m. Total Floor Area:3,500 sq.m. No. of Storeys:2 floors Status:Completed Brand fidelity The building was designed to reflect the precision and luxury styling of the brand that it carries. Spaced is optimized so that the entire storefront, with its glass facade giving a glimpse of the cars inside, opens up to the street. The showroom’s interior was envisioned to complement the beauty of the automobiles on display. As a whole, the showroom is meant to give a world-class experience of viewing top luxury cars provided by a well-known dealership. Back to Projects
Mahogany Place
Mahogany Drive Cebu City, Cebu Location:Cebu, Philippines Building Type: Commercial Site Area: 2,000 sq.m. Total Floor Area:2,200 sq.m. No. of Storeys:2 floors Status:Completed Straightforward and a head-turner The building mass takes the form of an L-shaped rectangular box. Straightforward clean lines give the building a floating characteristic. Grey and white colors express modernism, simplicity and urban appeal. The commercial strip was so named because of the line of mahogany trees along the street in front of the property. Back to Projects
Design Center
Design Center Cebu City, Cebu Client:Lim Development, Inc. Location:Cebu, Philippines Building Type:Commercial Site Area:2,965 sq.m. Total Floor Area:3,261 sq.m. No. of Storeys:3 floors Status:Completed The elegance of bare The Design Center is a commercial strip made distinct by its use of full height frameless black glass, clean lines and bare industrial finish. It serves as a one-stop destination for premier home furnishings and finishing brands, both local and international. The extensive use of black glass lends the building an air of gravitas, in contrast to the characteristic lightness of most glass buildings. Light and long-span cantilever elements along with modern construction methods and technology made this innovative strip mall’s unique look possible. Back to Projects