Blakes Tower: Where taste and creativity are celebrated

As published in Philippine Daily Inquirer on October 28, 2015

 

MODERN MODEL CITIES around the world have many things in common. They have clean avenues, efficient transport systems, diverse lifestyle options, career opportunities, and relative security. These promised benefits are the biggest factors why many people prefer to flock to these places, where the pulse can be exciting, if predictable. There are increasing numbers of people, though, who want an alternative to the predictability. They are looking for constant creative stimulation, chances to make discoveries they can share with others, and inspiration. They prefer to chart their own experience of the city instead of following some bloggers' to­do, must­eat lists. For them, the best places to live in are often the ones that are in­between the model cities, the areas where the pulse is always in transition, always growing and evolving, always pushing boundaries in culture and the arts. Is there a place that offers these big­city privileges with fringe locale inspiration in the central districts of Manila?

Makati is everyone’s favorite model city in the Philippines, the template by which other modern capitals in the country are compared. It is neat, orderly, and functional. It provides options for both work and play. And while it may suffer the predictability that comes with being organized and reliable, there is a side to it that is still in flux, constantly creative in its approach to making money and making a life. This is the west of Makati. Bordered by Ayala Avenue, South Luzon Expressway, and Nicanor Garcia Street, it merges the old­world grandeur of Manila with the contemporary urban character of the country's major business district.

Inspired by the promise of this area, prime developer Eton Properties, the real estate arm of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies, is building within it a new residential high­rise. The soon to­be­launched Blakes Tower is envisioned to be the preferred home of Makati denizens who yearn for spaces that celebrate culture and the arts. It is the latest addition to the WestEnd Square community, Eton Properties' mixed­use one­hectare development situated along Chino Roces Avenue corner Yakal Street.

Blakes Tower will rise with 44 floors, 39 of which are dedicated for residential use including the amenities floor, and four for tenants' parking requirements. The units will be well­spaced on every floor, with a mix of 24 to 87­square meter spaces in studio, one­, two­ and three-bedroom configurations. The dynamic high­rise will offer convenience in many forms. It will be completed with unique, first­class amenities not found in many other residential buildings. A sundeck will be dedicated to facilities clearly planned with the tenants' complete wellness in mind. The lagoon pool, jogging trails, and fitness gym will be perfect for those pursuing an active lifestyle, while the meditation and yoga spaces and readers' corner will be great for those who want to unplug for the day and unwind! Families and friends can gather at the barbecue and picnic areas on sunny days, while the events hall and recreational room can be used for special occasions. Blakes Tower will showcase a love for arts and culture by also designating spaces as art wall, artists' corner, library, and even a film and music room!

The development is best suited for executives and professionals working in Makati or nearby, overseas foreign workers looking to invest in a prime and profitable location, and mainly artistic individuals and urban families who have cultivated their tastes for creative endeavors, cultural charms, unique hobbies, and other artistically inclined pur suits.

A place of inspiration

With its corner location at the heart of the Makati central business district, Blakes Tower will provide easy access to the city's transportation routes, both public and private. There are buses, jeepneys, taxi cabs, even tricycles that can be hailed as soon, as you step out of the building. With these options, residents can easily reach their favorite and regular destinations ­ offices, hospitals, churches, major malls, theaters, museums, galleries, fitness studios, grocery stores, and even parks. Further inside the west of Makati, an area known to stir the imagination with its secret nooks and crannies, are bars, performance venues, art spaces, exotic food havens, and quirky cafes and other establishments that charm, excite, and inspire. And as an added perk, the location is near enough to all of these that one can also enjoy nice walks along the way.

Trendy yet welcoming design

Many high rises, intending to provide a rightly practical streamlined and all­too neutral look, can have an unwelcoming vibe for people who want a more defined style and distinction. Blakes Tower takes its design inspiration from the trendsetting boroughs of London, merging West End's artistic appeal with Filipino style and ingenuity. Eton Properties aims to give the tower the feel of a boutique hotel ­ warm, homey; Intimate, and with space for individuality and personal tastes to shine through; all this without sacrificing elegance, unique style, efficient building planning, and quality materials and decorative accents. If the lobby alone is any indication, the tower will hold true to its promise of welcoming residents into a unique modern home that celebrates the imagination and great ideas. The plan for the reception area is modern art­inspired, with interesting artwork set to don the warmly colored walls. Wooden and woven furniture and motifs, marble tiles, whitewashed bricks, local artisan­crafted lighting fixtures, plush seats, and warm ambient lighting will greet residents and visitors, offering inspiration as soon as they enter the doors of Blakes Tower.

360-degrees lifestyle

 

Within WestEnd Square, the Blakes Tower residents will also have access to their favorite leisure activities as well as work opportunities. As a prime business, commercial and residential enclave, the Square also houses business process outsourcing offices at eWestPod, a mini-mall at eWestMall, and the now­occupied Belton Place condominium, offering a full­spectrum yet balanced lifestyle that's both fulfilling and fun.

To be nestled in a most interesting Makati locale, with world­class features, and with unmatched accessibility to everywhere one needs to go, Blakes Tower is set to be the home of individuals, couples, and families who know the value of being stirred by beautiful ideas.

The Eton Properties Promise

With over 25 properties under its wing, Eton Properties continues to deliver unique developments that meet the residential, office, retail and mixed­use needs of the market. It also brings its expertise in developing, managing and leasing spaces in subdivisions, high­rise and mid­rise buildings, commercial centers, events venues, and even BPO hubs to provide lifestyle and enterprise centers in both prime locations and emerging growth areas.