NATURE IN THE CITY: THE NEW URBAN LUXURY
The business of building homes continues to evolve along with the changing times and trends in design and construction technology. Property design is largely guided and informed by the needs and behavior of its inhabitants, while at the same time, it also shapes the way people live for the better— forming a regenerative cycle.
In the high-end segment of the market in particular, the goal has always been to create truly distinctive and memorable living experiences for the discerning tastes of high-net worth individuals and their families.
These days, a home that provides freedom of movement amid a safe and secure environment is highly desired, especially if it is situated within nature. Such an environment is increasingly becoming rare with today’s rapid urbanization.
Thankfully, there are luxury developments today that successfully meet such a need to adapt to an everevolving urban environment while continuing to offer a surprisingly delightful living proposition. Finding a quiet part of town Ayala Land Premier’s (ALP) Arbor Lanes, by its very name based on the Latin word for “tree,” is a condominium community that is fast gaining a reputation for providing a truly refreshing take on urban luxury—by creating a veritable nature-based sanctuary for weary city dwellers.
The enclave is the pioneer residential component in Arca South, Ayala Land’s 74-hectare estate in the former Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) site in Taguig City. This is a quieter side of the city, characterized by low density developments—Arbor Lanes, for instance, is home to less than 270 residential units per block.
Arca South’s mixeduse master plan features residential, commercial and office zones similar to BGC but on a more intimate and accessible scale. For one, given the estate’s proximity to the Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the structures here rise up to around 20 floors in height, which guarantees clear, wide views of the sky whenever one looks up.
Arca South is also at the nexus of major government infrastructure projects such as the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), C-5 and C-6 roads, and an integrated intermodal transport terminal, which includes a station along the Metro Manila Subway. Dedicated Skyway ramps leading into the district are also in the works. All these make the estate a strategic gateway to the south of Metro Manila, which is another area of burgeoning growth and development.
Thriving in a nature-rich community
The overall expansive atmosphere of Arca South— with 60 percent of its land area dedicated to open spaces and greenery, and kept unobstructed through a network of underground utilities—transitions seamlessly into the daily living experience at Arbor Lanes.
As expected in a highend development, design is deliberate and meticulous. The five-tower, mid rise vertical community is characterized by a rectilinear placement, whose simplicity belies the privacy and exclusivity that it creates in terms of the flow.