PaVictorianne’s Painted Ladies

While purchasing a home is a serious business, living in one need not be so. A brief walk along Brittany Corp.’s Victorianne brings back childhood memories of dolls houses come to life and ready for a family to call it home.

The picture postcard street is home to a row of Neo-Victorian houses reminiscent of San Francisco’s Painted Ladies. Located south of Manila within La Posada in Brittany Bay, it is a mere 15-minute drive to Makati and just 10 minutes from Alabang.

"The Victorianne is a unique neighborhood in Manila not only because of the architecture but more for its synergy with La Posada where it is located," said Brittany Corp. president Jing Serrano. "The ornate, multi-level structures of the Victorianne compliments the single-detached homes of La Posada, providing a harmonious variety within the development."

The trademark candy colors, bay windows and ornate details characterize these seemingly fairytale homes with two model units available. Duetto, a four-level structure, has two units back-to-back to ensure the homeowner’s privacy. The Quadrille, on the other hand, is a cluster of four units sharing two of the four walls to maximize the space. A separate entrance and view guarantees the homeowner’s privacy. The Duetto and Quadrille occupy a total of 146 sqm of floor space on an 86 sq. m. lot and 126 sq. m. floor space on a 70 sq. m. lot, respectively.

In a way, Brittany Corp. went to the right firm for the development of the Victorianne. When asked of his design philosophy, Architect Marcos De Guzman, Jr. of Architecture Network shared that it is "to be able to capture in an architectural design my client’s concept and vision for the property." True enough, Architect De Guzman translated Brittany Corp.’s concept of building homes inspired by the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square in San Francisco.

But it was not going to be easy for Architect De Guzman and his team. "The lot cuts of the property were small for the kind of single family homes meant for La Posada. Yet the space was too big to merely go to waste. They needed more affordable units but townhouses would not jive with the rest of the development. I supported the models that would look like single-detached homes and the results are the Quadrille and the Duetto," De Guzman explained.

The challenge, he added, was in having to fit all the requirements within the specified land area without making it look cramped. Part of the solution was in building multi-level units to add much needed floor area. The configuration of the house was plotted and re-plotted until he was satisfied that every last inch of space was maximized.

Both the Duettos and Quadrilles followed a basic configuration. The lower ground floor served as the utility area where the maid’s room, extra storage area, and the garage were located. The upper ground floor houses the pocket garden, kitchen, dining room, and living room. The second floor is where the master bedroom is located with its own toilet and bath. A large second bedroom is across the hall and can be shared by two kids.

To service them is a toilet and bath outside the room across the stairs. Additionally, an attic is provided which can be used as an office, library, entertainment center or can be converted into a third bedroom.

Amenities offered by the property include underground cabling for power, communication and CATV, available wiring for high-speed internet connection, high level security alarm system, swimming pool, shower rooms, tea garden, lily pond, multi-function hall, children’s playground, and game courts.

It is the distinctly San Francisco style of neo-Victorian architecture, however, that immediately captures the imagination of curious onlookers. According to De Guzman, the brackets, trims, bay windows and the explosion of colors serve as the property’s most distinguishing features.

Its inspiration, the Painted Ladies in San Francisco, dates back to the 65 years between the Gold Rush and the Panama International Exposition in 1915. Nearly 48,000 houses were built according to the Victorian style. Most were destroyed by the 1906 earthquake and fire. Of those that remained, misguided modernization continued to demolish. The ’60s, however, ushered in a rediscovery of the stately homes. Owners began to restore the old Victorians. Today, homeowners are required to dress up the Painted Ladies. The neighbors would actually bang the doors of the homeowners who allow the houses to be left in disrepair.

"It is this spirit of community that Brittany Corp. shares with the residents of the San Francisco homes that served as our inspiration for Victorianne. We believe in fostering a community that protects the integrity of its property," said Serrano.

For inquiries and property previews, call 850-2868 or 850-3084.