The united ‘Estate’ of prime property

Just literally a stone’s throw from where I reside on Ayala Avenue stands The Estate Makati, and so I’ve watched the property develop from when it was a deep hole in the ground. In fact, even back to when it was the only empty lot on Apartment Ridge Road that’s parallel to Ayala Avenue, to today, as the Norman Foster + Partners-designed building that is steadily reaching its’ top-off stage, and structural completion – set to happen within the year.

If one is traveling on EDSA and turns into Ayala Avenue, the right side is that Ayala Avenue-Apartment Ridge Road stretch that’s always been regarded as the ‘most prime of prime’ Makati real estate for residential and non-commercial structures, from the EDSA corner to Makati Avenue. There are only seven properties that exist on this row, and The Estate Makati is destined to be the eighth and last! Apartment Ridge Road does curve to extend along Makati Avenue, but that’s not Ayala Avenue anymore.

As such, The Estate Makati, the very first project here in the Philippines of the British design firm founded by the esteemed Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, stands to be one of our architectural landmarks of the future, a heritage site in the making. A flagship project of SM Residences and Federal Land, one need only look up Foster + Partners on any search engine, and then be astounded by the number of iconic global structures that are modernist and exemplify high-tech architecture, and are linked to the firm.

The Gherkin (30 St. Mary Axe) in London, Apple Park in Cupertino, California, the HSBC Main Building and Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong, the Hearst Tower in New York, the Millennium Bridge in London, and the Reichstag Dome in Berlin, these are just a sample of the works of Foster + Partners, founded in 1967, and now recognized as one of the largest architectural design firms globally, with offices in multiple cities that include New York, Hong Kong, and Madrid.

And what is the promise of The Estate Makati? Setting a new benchmark for what will be considered as the exceptional level of residence and lifestyle services. And make no mistake about it, it’s Makati once again flexing its muscle, and remarking that while Bonifacio Global City (BGC) may have had its share of the spotlight as the ‘new kid on the block’, let’s not forget that for now, nothing will ever replace, or overshadow, Makati.

The maturity of Makati as a Central Business District brooks no argument. Transportation access (public and private), parking facilities, district management, and the handling of traffic, the number of residential options to support the offices and commercial centers, and the number of mixed-use developments all point to a resurgence of interest in Makati, and discovering that it’s still a solid and attractive proposition. The Estate Makati can only further the Makati cause.

And how is this promise of luxury manifested at The Estate? One expedient way is to study how it ticks all the right boxes that pertain to luxury and upmarket real estate. One box would be called ‘Living Space and Dimensions’. With its cruciform design, all the 188 private homes at The Estate are attractive corner units, enjoying a ceiling height of 3.2 meters. The two-bedroom units start at 151 square meters. The unique four-bedroom Bi-Level units are 300 to 355 square meters; the first level is ideal for Socials and Entertaining, while the second level can be devoted to the master’s en-suite and bedrooms.

A second box would be ‘Privacy & Exclusivity’. The private lift lobby provides two lifts per residential unit. There’s a 24-hour clinic with an on-site ambulance. The laundry services and concierge are hotel-level, and there’s 100% back-up power should there be power interruptions. The angles of the double-glazed windows offer both privacy and added protection from the elements.

For the ‘Quality and Standard of Living’ box, feast your eyes on the brands that have been enlisted to supply The Estate units. Häfale will provide the closets and shelves in the living and dining spaces, Kohler and Toto take care of the bathrooms and powder room, with the standalone bathtub from Jacob Delafon. Gaggenau fridge and freezer in the kitchen, a Miele wall oven, a Kindred sink, and Bulthaup for the kitchen cabinets. SieMatic handles the service kitchen.

In the ‘Sustainability and Resilience’ box, several features of The Estate incorporate the latest in Sustainability-conscious technology and resilient building practices. The Estate Makati won Best Condo Development and Best Ultra Luxury Development in the Property Guru Asia Property Awards 2024, and there are now show apartment units available for viewing.

In short, there’s much to love about The Estate Makati. And I haven’t even talked about the Amenities and signature features of the property. I’ll reserve that for another article. The Estate Makati may very well be the blueprint for what future luxury residential properties should offer. And it’s only right that it’s happening on Apartment Ridge Road beside Ayala Avenue, in Makati.