Condo living in the Lion City
I lived in Singapore for close to a dozen years. It is a city where over eight out of 10 people live in towers elevated from the ground. This reality mimics Hong Kong’s as land is scarce in both locations and people have to adapt. Millions of Filipino expats working there have done so and a new culture of high-rise living is filtering back to the Philippines as reflected in the booming number of multi-story condominiums rising all over our urban centers and even the suburbs.
On a recent trip to Singapore, I bumped into Rico Hizon, a good friend who now calls Singapore his second home. In Manila we are neighbors in the Valle Verde district of Pasig, a suburban enclave that is only now being surrounded by high-rise residential towers. In Singapore, Rico had moved over just as I was winding down my stint in the city-state.
Rico started out at GMA 7 as a business reporter before moving to CNBC Asia. He was based in Hong Kong first and got used to high-rise living there. He moved to Singapore in 2002 and we bumped into each other at gatherings for Filipino professionals (usually organized by fellow expat journalist Margie Logarta, who seems to keep the largest address book of Filipino journalists and bon vivants in Asia).
Rico joined the BBC in his move to Singapore and he now anchors the daily business and finance program Asia Business Report and one edition of World Business Report live from Singapore Monday to Friday. The show is produced on an upper floor of Shaw Tower on Beach Road. I used to live right beside it on the 14 th floor of a multi-story flat, so the view from Rico’s set window is very familiar and makes me hanker to bowls for prawn mee, which I used to eat in a side street nearby.
Rico and his wife Melanie, with their son Miggy, live in a district nearby — in fancier digs than where I used to live. I never was home anyway, being the workaholic that I was. My partner Twink Macaraig (who read the news for CNBC and later Channel News Asia) also used to live in Singapore further down from Rico in the Marien Parade district, in more exclusive appointments as well.
The Hizons’ condo unit is located near the Marina area and a stone’s throw from Beach Road, so getting home is a matter of minutes by car or taxi. One never is more than 30 minutes away from the central business district anyway in Singapore — no matter where you live on the island. The city’s transport network was planned with ease of travel in mind (unlike mindless Metro Manila and its dysfunctional transport — excuse me, traffic system).
Their flat is a veritable art gallery as the main theme is “living with art.” Their enviable collection of Malangs, Bencabs, Joyas and Anita-Magsaysay Hos are displayed with a natural ease that lends warmth. The paintings — prevalent palette of reds, earth colors and muted tones — work well to create relaxing ambience compatible with the Hizons’ lifestyle. Son Miggy’’s bedroom is in bright blue while the master bedroom is another showcase of Philippine art.
The dining room is also venue for their collections, especially their one-of-a-kind “palette” collection (works of art painted by Philippine modern masters on actual palettes). The furniture of the living and dining rooms, along with their orientalia accessories come from over a dozen years travelling in Southeast Asia and give the entire home a Pan-Asian feel that you know doesn’t just come from visits to the nearest furniture shop.
Singaporean condominiums are more spacious than Hong Kong shoeboxes and more refined than most condominiums being built there. Storage space is always adequate and maids’ rooms are de riguer.
Philippine condominium design is still evolving as both developers and buyers here are going through a learning curve. The local market is getting more discerning. Buyers are more savvy when it comes to reading floor plans and looking for amenites — usually well- landscaped gardens, amenity decks, fitness pavilions and outdoor areas for active and passive activities. I should know because that is what I designed for the dozen years I was in Singapore (and what I am doing now in Manila).
Filipino urbanites will clamor for a better menu of delights from condomium offerings. Developers know that high-rise living is on the rise and will not waver as a permanent trend in our major cities. Cebu is now seeing the first condos over 30 stories, while Manila is reaching past 50 in very high-end and central condominium towers.
Like the Hizons, Filipino tower-dwellers have the option of enhancing their lifestyle surroundings with art. The value of good paintings will never go down just as valued property never will too. Filipino architects who design the towers, interior designers who layout the interiors and landscape archtiects who design their grounds are getting developers to listen to the value of good design.
More than just stacked hosuing units, modern condos on the drawing boards are fully-complemented-lifestyle complexes that meld, the convenience of central living, fantastic elevated views, with proximity to vibrant nightlife, restaurants and cultural fare.
Looks like we have no way to go but up!
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Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com.
