Ground broken on Trump Tower Manila in Philippines

World Interior Design Network - Philippines-based real estate company Century Properties Group has broken ground on Broadway Malyan-designed Trump Tower Manila in Manila, Philippines.

Poised to be the tallest residential building in Philippines, the Trump Tower Manila will be the centrepiece of MoMa, a mixed-use development on a four-hectare site in Makati City. The Trump Tower Manila will be a 58-storey residential tower, which will be 250m tall. It will offer 220 residential units.

The design of the building is based on the concept of a ‘peeled façade’ of an extruded square, punctuated with internal box ledges. The building will have external terraces at the top and bottom corners that will render a dynamic form to the tower.

The building will be cladded with an environmentally-responsive skin that will consist of light shelves and shading systems. It will enable the building to offer protection from the sun. The skin will also enhance the building's performance and offer unobstructed views of the city.

The building will feature various sustainable practices, which will enable it to further evolve as an iconic structure in the country. The tower will have a low surface-to-volume ratio which will bring about reduction in energy consumption and set a new benchmark in green living.

The high-performance curtain wall system will feature light shelves which will have a dual advantage of acting as shading devices, and bouncing light deeper into the apartments. The eastern and western elevations of the building will have vertical fins, which will negate the negative attributes of low angle sun. The vertical fins will allow the residents to enjoy the panoramic views of the city. A series of sky terraces and extended box ledges of differing sizes will aid in reducing the glare of the sun and function as an effective shading device.

The residential units will have an area of more than 57 square metres and will be a mix of one- to four-bedroom apartments. The development will also include penthouses of approximately 425 square metres. The project, based on its amenities and common areas, is slated to be the world's first condominium to offer a choice of Hermès home collections.

The tower will offer various recreational, health and well-being facilities, which will be spread throughout. The 30th floor of the tower will accommodate an intermediary skygarden, which will consist of an infinity lap pool, juice bar, gym, stylish spa lounge, treatment rooms, sauna and steam rooms, as well as a beauty salon.
The residential skyscraper will also include a business centre which will be complete with meeting rooms, function space and video rooms. The other amenities for the residents consist of a library, lounge and garden terrace. The ground floor will accommodate a fine-dining restaurant.

The design of the Trump Tower Manila has won the Best Residential High-Rise Architecture (The Philippines) category at the Asia Pacific Property Awards 2012-13.

For more details on Trump Towers Manila and  Century Properties' projects, you may e-mail reby_ramirez@yahoo.com or contact her at 0922.883.9308 / 0916.4044.555 / 0919.699.3572 / 4044-534.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

Property boom transforming Philippine skylines

AFP - As a Philippine property boom gathers pace, even Paris Hilton, Donald Trump and high-fashion house Versace are getting a piece of the action.

The good times are into their fourth year, fuelled by steady economic growth, Western firms offshoring jobs to the Philippines, the buying power of millions of Filipinos working abroad and low interest rates.

"It just so happens that today the stars are aligned... we have never seen the economy this bullish," said Antonino Aquino, president of Ayala Land, one of the country's biggest property developers.

Ayala Land is one of the main players in what industry figures describe as an unprecedented construction boom that is transforming the skyline of the nation's capital, as well as many provincial cities.

In Manila, formerly sleepy pockets such as the Fort army base and the rundown Eastwood industrial zone have become chic, new business districts, catering mainly for the fast-growing outsourcing sector.

At the Fort, Ayala Land this year broke ground on its US$714-million One Bonifacio High Street project, which when completed in 2017 will host the Philippine Stock Exchange, a Shangri-La hotel, and retail outlets.

The project also has a 63-storey residential tower, with 298 suites ranging from US$500,000 to US$1.9 million that sold out last month in 96 hours, according to the company.

Across the country, more than 850,000 square metres (9.1 million square feet) of office space and 14,000 residential units will enter the market this year, property consultants CBRE Philippines said in a report.
It said many of the residential units catered for a growing middle-class on the fringes of Manila and other urban centres.

The building boom has also spread to hotels, shopping malls and casinos, triggering hopes of a long-anticipated take-off of the underdeveloped tourism industry.

Three of the world's biggest gaming industry leaders are building a US$4-billion, 100-hectare (247-acre) Entertainment City complex of casinos on Manila Bay. The first of the casinos are set to open early next year.

Meanwhile, Trump, the New York mogul, has put his name to a US$150-million, 56-storey, curtain-glass-walled Trump Tower that broke ground in the financial district this year.

"High-end buyers look for key differentiated features," said Robbie Antonio, managing director of Century Properties that is behind the Trump Tower development.

He said 70 percent of the 220 residential units, which are worth up to US$1.86 million each, have been sold.

The firm is putting up a nearby tower designed by the Versace fashion house -- the first of its kind in Asia -- featuring individual wading pools as well as its iconic Medusa-head brand imprinted on lamp shades and cutlery.

Century also flew in socialite and hotel heiress Hilton to Manila last year to help design and promote a suburban Manila residential project that features a man-made beach.

Industry players say the property boom reflects the overall status of the nation's economy as it picks up steam after decades of underperforming compared with many of its Asian neighbours.

The economy grew 6.4 percent in the first quarter, the stock market has surged 20 percent this year to hit all-time highs, and the country's credit rating has been bumped up to just a step below investment grade.

The central bank's benchmark interest rates are also at historic lows -- 4.0 percent for the benchmark borrowing rate -- ensuring large piles of cheap cash for property development.
Aside from the macro economic picture, real estate analysts point to the outsourcing phenomenon as one of the key drivers of the property boom.

From virtually nothing a decade ago, outsourcing now employs more than 600,000 people and is worth US$11 billion annually, according to the main industry association which is forecasting 15 percent growth in the years ahead.

Many of the skyscrapers are being built to cater for the outsourcing workforce, which performs a myriad of tasks from call centre duties to designing architectural plans for foreign firms.
Meanwhile, roughly nine million Filipinos who work overseas are sending large chunks of the US$22 billion they earn -- equal to 10 percent of the nation's gross domestic product -- back home, often investing in real estate.

The frenetic building pace has some quarters anxious over a potential property bubble, with the global economic woes adding to concerns.

But Rick Santos, CBRE Philippines chief executive, remains bullish, in large part because of the expected continued growth in the outsourcing sector.

"As economies in the West tighten, global companies will see it in their interest to outsource their non-core functions to save on costs, " Santos told an industry briefing recently.

Ayala Land's Aquino also said local market had not seen the price bubbles that preceded crashes in other countries, where property values suddenly doubled or tripled.

"The price increases have been very close to or a little more than the inflation rate," Aquino said.
Trump Tower developer Antonio added: "We are confident that there's still a demand that has to be met."

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.

Developer ups ante with Trump Tower

INQUIRER - The Philippine real estate market is experiencing a different kind of storm.
As if the proliferation of residential buildings and communities that have continuously reshaped skylines and landscapes were not enough, local real estate developers have begun upping the ante to redefine the term “quality living.”

For instance: whereas globally renowned personalities and brands like Trump, Versace and Missoni were reserved before for the ultra elite, gamechanger Century Properties Group Inc. was able to bring in the country and into its developments these coveted stamps to provide more Filipinos a chance to a sophisticated yet quality way of living.

Recently, the two sons of American real estate tycoon Donald Trump flew into the country to inaugurate Century Properties’ $150-million Trump Tower.

But more than just the name and the endorsements, the arrival of brothers Donald Jr. and Eric more importantly signifies a vote of confidence in the country’s capacity to be at par with the rest of the world, and also marks Trump’s affirmation of the development’s significance in this part of the globe.

Increased confidence
“The fact that a Trump-branded development is rising in the Philippines is a testament to the increased confidence of the international sector in our country’s potential to become a world-class destination,” noted Century Properties managing director and Trump Tower Manila project head Robbie Antonio.

“As a standard bearer of excellence in residential living, Trump Tower Manila also positions the Philippines as the ideal place of residence for global citizens,” Antonio added.

Announced in September 2011, Trump Tower Manila is a 56-story residential development that is owned and developed by Century City Development Corp., a member of Century Properties Group Inc., with the brand name and mark under license from the New York-based Trump.

Trump Tower Manila, which will be delivered by 2016, is said to be a huge undertaking that is perceived by many as a milestone as it highlights the optimistic outlook of the international property sector in the Philippines.

First in Asia
The Philippines, indeed, is lucky to have the Trump Tower, heralded as the newest addition to this illustrious roster of Trump-branded developments and the first to be erected in Asia in this decade.

Trump Tower Manila will be built within Century City, a 3.4-hectare masterplanned property on Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City, which will be comprised of luxury residential towers, a medical-IT building, offices and a retail center.

It was only in March this year that the Trump Tower Manila showroom in Makati was opened to the public on an appointment basis. A month later, the project has already garnered two highly coveted Asia Pacific Property Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: the Best Residential High-rise and the Best High-rise Architecture titles in the Philippines category.

So it is not at all surprising that by early May, Century Properties reported that 67 percent of the more than 220-unit residential tower has been sold.

“We are overwhelmed with the tremendous success of this project in such a short time. Trump Tower Manila has already received accolades even prior to breaking ground which is an incredible accomplishment further showcasing the strength of the local market and its increasing demand in the ownership of luxury real estate,” noted Eric Trump.

And like all Century Property developments, the project’s inaugural included a well-attended press briefing with the local and international media, a groundbreaking ceremony and an evening reception exclusive to the owners and investors of the project.

Scheduled medical mission
Also part of the Trumps’ itinerary was a visit to a scheduled medical mission in Manila by Operation Smile Philippines, a nonprofit organization that conducts surgeries for children with cleft lip and cleft palette deformities.

Century founder and chair Jose Antonio is currently the chair of Operation Smile Philippines’ development committee while Donald Trump Jr. sits as a board member of Operation Smile in the United States.
Eric Trump, for his part, is the active founder of the Eric Trump Foundation, a charity organization dedicated to improving the lives of children battling debilitating medical conditions.

Similar to the previous events organized by Century Properties, Operation Smile Philippines is the beneficiary this year of several Trump Tower Manila functions that are intended to raise funds for the organization’s 30th Anniversary Missions in November and December.

“The Trump Tower Manila event is a celebration of the project’s success, the market’s phenomenal reception to the property and the arrival of the Trump brand to the Philippines. We honor this occasion by giving back to the children of Operation Smile,” the older Antonio shared.

For more details on Trump Tower and Century Properties condo projects, you may e-mail reby_ramirez@yahoo.com or contact her at 0922.883.9308 / 0916.4044.555 / 0919.699.3572 / 4044-534.

For latest update on real estate development and its RA 9646, the Real Estate Service Act of 2009, visit www.ra9646.com.