Housewarming the Axis way
ANEW HOME is reason to celebrate. The celebration that such event calls for is a housewarming party. The usual attendees to this informal event are close friends and family members as well as next-door neighbors. But if this is an open-house event, everybody is welcome.
A housewarming that happened recently at the first tower of Axis Residences, a residential development under the Robinsons Communities portfolio, was hosted by Karen Dupalco-Kabuhat, a pretty woman who represented the 158 satisfied owners whose units have been turned over as of April 20. Turnover of the condo units started in November last year.
Those who attended the housewarming were not the usual guests but media practitioners who felt a festive ambience during the event. They partook of refreshing cucumber drinks and mouth-watering Filipino dishes like lechon kawali (fatty fried pork), kare-kare (ox tripe stew flavored with peanut butter sauce) and rellenong bangus (stuffed milkfish) and desserts that included macaroni salad, fresh sliced mango and banana-flavored brownies.
Amazing interiors
Emerging Architects Studio (EASt) designed the interiors of the studio unit where the housewarming took place. Mirrors on the walls make the unit appear bigger. A multifunctional furniture like a local trunk serves both as storage for knickknacks and a centertable for the living area where there is a black sofa. Light hues were used to clear up the atmosphere making the studio unit a lot bigger and tidier. They create an illusion of space since light bounces off brighter-colored walls better than deeper or darker-colored ones.
The ceiling-to-floor window not just allows sunlight to enter but adds space to the studio unit as well. A glass-covered table with two chairs occupies the dining area. A bed faces the TV set for one’s entertainment fare. Two chairs are placed at the veranda to allow the resident to appreciate the evening scenery.
EASt is a multiawarded collaboration of designers who aim to uplift the architectural industry by continuously creating better design solutions. Its bragging rights include first runner-up, Pinakamagandang Bahay sa Balat ng Lupa 2009; first place, Alterchitecture 2010; finalist, Design against the Elements 2011; special citation, Annual Visionary Design competition 2012; first runnerup, Annual Design Visionary competition 2013; and national finalist, MADE 2014.
Unparalleled amenities
The fifth floor is where most of the unparalleled amenities are located. There is a fitness center which is a state-of-the-art facility that provides stress-relieving, safe and convenient exercise opportunities for residents. Nearby are the swimming pool, a pavilion, a children’s playground, multifunction game room and spacious function rooms.
At the ground level is the multipurpose covered court that can serve as a basketball, volleyball and even a badminton court. To offer nooks for meditation or simply quiet moments are garden spaces, where residents can admire the city lights of the neighboring central business districts or view the serene waters of the Pasig at daybreak.
“We have considered privacy as utmost priority in designing the building,” says Teddy V. Bernas, AVP for Business Development, Robinsons Communities. There are only 22 units on each floor. Studio units measure 24.17 to 28.2 sqm in size. Bernas adds that “one-bedroom units have average sizes of 48.9 sqm while two-bedroom units range in size from 51.82 to 76.52 sqm. In addition, in the first tower, there’s only one three-bedroom unit, 32 two BR and 162 one BR units.
Residents can use the Ring Rob Digital Concierge as if they’re living in a hotel. For instance, residents can have food delivered, their units cleaned, laundry done, their nonemergency medical needs attended to, requirements for the purchase and installation serviced, and a host of other service requirements delivered, all through the Ring Rob’s mobile app.
Much-awaited tower
Much awaited is the construction of the second tower, which is still a joint project of Robinsons Land Corp. and GT Capital’s Federal Land Inc. like the first condominium. Axis Residences Tower B will face the side of Pasig River, allowing its residents to have an unobstructed view of the city skyline. It will start construction next year with turnover date slated for the first quarter of 2020.
Casas + Architects is likewise the architect of choice for the second tower. It aims to meet the client’s requirements and challenges by applying new trends and modern technology. Its thrust is excellence in the field of architecture and interior design.
The Pioneer district to which the Axis Residences belongs is near offices, schools, hospitals and government offices. The location of Axis gives easy access to the central business districts of Bonifacio Global City, Makati and Ortigas.
Mix-use facility
Since this is a mix-use facility, the hotel and commercial centers will be on the foreground while the residences will be at the background, away from the maddening crowd.
Units will be delivered furnished and not bare. They will bring to the fore what a wellestablished, developed property Axis is. Axis Residences won’t be a cramped community because it is a master-planned development, right down to its entrance and exit points. All these with the convenience of supermarkets, cinema, dining options, and retail outlets within reach of residents.
Located at the highest point of Mandaluyong, Axis Residences is flood-free. The lobby is likewise elevated from the street level. Interior details are well-thought out, with natural light streaming into the edifices. Blues, browns and tinges of orange meld into the interiors.
Axis Residences is a showcase of how a master-planned property develops in an already established neighborhood.