Now, homeowners can have both. For Ayala Land Premier’s One Serendra, "lanai living" is the next best thing to living in the suburbs without having to move to the suburbs. You can soak up the sun without having to step out of the building, celebrate the outdoors in your own unit, and have the amount of floor space previously reserved for houses on the ground.
One Serendra is situated within the 12-hectare Serendra development located at Bonifacio Global City, touted to be the country’s newest premier business district with its own neighborhoods for entertainment, shopping and living. One Serendra’s use of space is guided by the philosophy of providing for suburban living in an urban environment, which translates to 65 percent of open green space and only 35 percent built space. This is not to say, however, that the units are small. On the contrary, One Serendra offers the luxury of space with bigger unit sizes in a low-density environment, translating to exclusivity, privacy, comfort and convenience.
One Serendra will have 18 lanai units, strategically located at the corners of the building. Architect Ted Narciso of GF & Partners, whose firm is One Serendra’s project architect, says on a Living Space television episode: "The lanai units are for people who love the outdoors, where you can smell the landscape. It’s a very unique concept, it’s something that other developers do not have and it enhances the spacious, luxurious living that One Serendra promotes."
Architect Mae Cruz of Leandro V. Locsin Partners , One Serendra’s visual architect, adds, "A lanai is a space where you can enjoy the atmosphere around you. You can experience the rain coming in, the breezes on a warm afternoon. You can watch the sunset. While you can do this through your windows, it’s different when you’re out there – you can feel the warmth of the sun all over you."
A lanai, also called patio or terrace, also functions as an extra space for entertaining guests. In fact, it can function as just about anything homeowners want it to be – whether as a play area for their kids, a reading corner, or an al fresco dining area – thanks to its unique design as a partly-covered, partly-in, partly-out space.
"A lanai has a roof over it and is only partially enclosed," adds Cruz. "It’s a space that’s usually connected to an interior area and leads to an outdoor space. It’s neither in nor out; it’s delightfully both."
And what about lanai furniture? If you go by their availability on the local market, you’ll get an idea of how lanais have become so popular. You can put a dining table and chairs (these pieces are usually made of specially processed wood, synthetic wicker or polypropylene to withstand the elements), daybeds, rocking chairs or hammocks. "It largely depends on your lifestyle," Narciso says. The lanai can be as grand and opulent with plush throws on an opium bed, or it can be your own private garden high above ground.
The point it seems of having a lanai, apart from extending your living space, is that it allows you to be flexible and to embrace nature. The lanai units, prime offerings in One Serendra’s latest batch of units, offer up to 10 sq.m. of extra room.
"Our units are very spacious to begin with – starting at around 60 sq.m. for our one-bedroom units, to as big as 250 sq.m. for our three-bedroom abodes," says Kate Ilagan, head of residential buildings of Ayala Land Premier. "We offer a luxury of space that is nowhere to be found in any other condo development on the market. It is but a natural extension of our spacious units to provide the ultimate in comfortable home living in the form of a lanai area."
Speaking of luxury, One Serendra has got all aspects covered. If God is in the details, so is One Serendra. Dubbed "the garden residential condominium," its choice of quality finishes and materials will satisfy the most discerning homeowners.
Ilagan says the development is a perfect fit for meticulous condo dwellers who understand the added benefits of paying a premium for luxury. "If you’re not the type to settle for condominium units that are ‘good enough,’ you will love One Serendra, which is master-planned to the tiniest detail. Everything is representative of the premier lifestyle; nothing is out of place."
Design elements such as bathtubs, walk-in closets, private patios and lanai areas, and the highest quality finishes of wood flooring and natural stone countertops are a given. So are the fixtures, from cabinet handles to faucets. Plus there are two telephone lines per unit, a dedicated audio-video guest annunciator, and cable TV systems. A streamlined appearance is maintained with ready provisions for appliances while air-conditioning and utility systems are hidden from view. There are utility decks with areas for drying laundry in selected units and exhaust systems for all bathrooms and kitchens. Fully automatic sprinkler and smoke detection systems, a 100 percent power backup and ample elevator assignments per building spell stress-free living.
Under Ayala Property Management Corp., residents of One Serendra can also expect after-sales attention long after units have been turned over with services such as a valet, concierge and 24-hour security.
"Residents are generally pleased with their units, but in rare cases where it’s needed, APMC does minor repairs and even offers assistance in the application for utilities," explains Ilagan. "In the real estate business, the property management by itself is already unique, yet APMC is even more valuable because it employs licensed professional employees, constantly trains its manpower, has strategic partnerships with utility companies, and utilizes corporate programs and structured systems. Its comprehensive set of services will be available to residents of One Serendra all the time."
All these big and small luxuries mean not just a great experience for homeowners, but also properties that hold value over time. Best of all, you will have the home that you’ve always wanted and the life you’ve always dreamed of.