Three world-class masters of design join forces with the SM Development Corp. (SMDC) to create the gold standard in townships. Together, they breathe life into Gold Residences, which will proudly stand in the heart of Gold City, an 11.6-hectare, master-planned community that promises its residents the finer points of modern urban living.
By Alex Y. Vergara
Behind this vision of a modern, responsive and eco-friendly residential community that’s worth its weight in gold are ASYA Design Partner, Michael Fiebrich Design (MFD) and Adrian L. Norman Ltd. (ALN) — three leading design and architectural firms whose projects dot the skylines of Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Perth, Manila and a number of mainland Chinese cities like Shanghai, Xiamen, Chengdu and Suzhou, to name a few.
Since the project’s inception a little over a year ago, Gold City has shown the world a preview of what’s to come by winning the grand prize at the 2019 Dot Property Southeast Asia Awards for “Best Township Design,” beating more than 200 entries from the region. And for good reason, too.
Gold rush
In November 2019, Phase 1 of the project evoked a real estate gold rush of sorts, as it sold out just three days after it was debuted.
Staying true to its promise of being new urban quarters like no other, Gold Residences, much like the entire Gold City, will be an iconic gateway to Manila once it is completed. Located across from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 1, this posh enclave will ensure that residents can get home to their own, modern dwelling, just a few minutes after they’ve landed. It will also be easily accessible from various parts of the metro, which comes in handy for business, leisure and more.
Yu’s ingenious design elements
True to its namesake, the façade of Gold Residences’ first phase, gleams in contrast to its neighboring communities, thanks to its use of golden accents. But it’s not all glitter, either.
Here, breathtaking architecture and lush, landscaped gardens converge, thanks to the genius of Asya Design Partner, led by architect Albert Yu.
Since 2005, Asya has been consistently awarded by BCI Asia as one of the “Top 10 Architectural firms in the Philippines.” Its reach now stretches beyond the Philippines, to include such cities as Shanghai, Xiamen and Chengdu, to name a few. Asya also has gained the attention of the World Architecture Survey 2020, which ranked it 32nd in its list of top architectural firms in the world. When you look at the ingenious and subtle design elements that went into Gold Residences’ design, it’s easy to understand why.
The façade will display an interesting interplay of light gray, dark gray and white. When combined, these hues project the illusion of depth. Glass and metal balconies, on the other hand, add a sleek touch to the overall structure.
For Phase 2, the towers will be strategically paired to form enclosed spaces with the amenities at its center, thus achieving a fine balance between public and private spaces. The goal of such an approach is to create true communities where people can feel confident, not only within their private spaces, but also within shared public spaces.
“Gold Residences is designed for how people live today, while anticipating how these needs and conventions can change in the future,” said Yu.
Norman’s lush ideas
This green oasis will also stand out for its unique aesthetics. Adrian L. Norman, after all, imbues it with his design philosophy of understanding and connecting people with their external environment.
The minute you enter the driveway, for instance, you will be greeted by a meandering landscape teeming with the right balance of trees, shrubs and various ornamentals, some of which glisten with hues of gold.
“We will adopt different styles of planting, from European style and tropical style, to minimalist style, depending on the project and location,” said Norman, whose company has done projects using various plant materials ideal for temperate, sub-tropical and tropical zones. “For Gold Residences, we have specified around 60 diverse species of trees, shrubs and ground cover.”
Although Norman and his team try to use a diverse range of species for tropical-style projects to achieve a lush and textured effect, he shared that in the case of Gold Residences, they have decided to use a significant amount of such plants as miagos and golden duranta. The specially designed palette of plants includes species with gold-hued foliage and flowers to echo the development’s theme.
“The landscape is designed to complement the building by ensuring strong connectivity and circulation for residents from space to space. Plant arrangements have also been designed in such a way, so as to provide residents and visitors a green, healthy and resort-style development,” added Norman, whose company also did the landscaping of SMDC’s Air Residences in Makati, and Light 2 Residences in EDSA, Mandaluyong.
Gold Residences’ landscape will also follow a curvilinear arrangement as a counterpoint to the development’s architecture and its swimming pools. Design-wise, the main arrival plazas, thanks to ALN’s extensive use of high-quality paving materials, are given added emphasis. Water will also be used extensively in the form of cascading and reflective design features.
Fiebrich’s golden touch
It’s a different but nonetheless pleasant story as you enter the building. The lobby and reception area are designed to dazzle the eyes and invigorate the soul – no doubt the handiwork of a certain Michael Fiebrich.
MFD also happens to be the same design firm behind the elegant Presidential Suite of the Conrad Hotel, which was recognized as the “Best Hotel Suite for Asia Pacific” at the International Hotel and Property Awards in Capri in 2019. Like in its previous projects, MFD drew inspiration from luxurious hotel and spa experiences to produce indoor public areas that exude an elegant yet homey and welcoming feel.
“Every project is unique because each one caters to the specific needs of the client and the target market,” said Fiebrich, when asked to compare his other projects with Gold Residences. “They’re all beautiful, but every project is special and different.”
But the tenets of great design, to him, remain the same: timelessness, elegance, comfort and functionality. These are but some of the recurring components present in MFD’s body of work. At the same time, he believes that an exceptional project should likewise offer people a sense of escapism.
“A great design should allow the mind to travel while also providing people with a place of relaxation, comfort, excitement and activity,” he said, echoing the qualities that are very much present in the details and spaces that will make up the interiors of Gold Residences.
As the residential project’s name implies, it should evoke images and impressions of something beautiful, precious, rich and important. At the same time, such a precious element as gold connotes the need for safety and security. All these, Fiebrich and his team succeeded beautifully in distilling.
“So, we combined timeless glamour with elements that have strong visual impact,” he said. They likewise endeavored to juxtapose elements that aren’t only visually pleasing, but also look and feel organic and cohesive, when viewed as a whole.
Indeed, at Gold Residences, all that glitters—although not always in the literal sense—is gold.
For more information, visit www.SMDC.com
