By Issa Quirante
AYALA Land Premier (ALP) continues its legacy of high-quality living through developing suburban environments and leisure communities with the launch of its seventh residential project in Nuvali, called Riomonte.
Coming up with the name for the new property development of ALP was not easy, according to Jose Juan Z. Jugo, managing director of ALP. “We struggled with the name and we had many permutations, but finally we said there’s a river [rio] and a mountain/hill [monte], hence the name Riomonte. It sounded very simple, very nice and very classy. We decided it was the best name for it.”
Riomonte is an 85-hectare exclusive community in Nuvali South, Barangay Canlubang, Calamba City, Laguna, which offers 844 spacious lot cuts averaging 530 square meter, with some lots reaching around 800 sq m. It is a master-planned development composed of five pocket neighborhoods with two entrance gates. Each neighborhood will only have about 165 homes. Density is kept low at about 10 lots per hectare. And the price per sq m ranges from P18,250 to P26,650.
“It is undulating terrain, has very gentle slopes and interesting views. Again, it is 85 hectares. Most of the projects we’ve developed were only 60 hectares to 70 hectares.
This makes Riomonte the largest, single subdivision we have in Nuvali. And, as we have been doing since 2008, when we delivered Abrio [ALP’s first Nuvali project], we really do not prescribe any architectural themes anymore. We believe that the ALP market has a very discerning, very selective taste. And we leave it up to them to create the character of the subdivision but, of course, with restrictions,” Jugo noted.
Nuvali’s commercial district, leisure facilities, educational institutions and amenities are all accessible from the site. It’s located just 9 kilometers from Ayala Malls Solenad and the Lakeside Evozone. The property is also near Miriam College, Republic Wakepark, the Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary and Camp N.
Tropical parkland living
Riomonte makes the most out of the surrounding endemic greenery and evokes a sense of living within a tropical parkland. About 50 percent of the total land area is dedicated to green spaces, roadways and amenities.
“Early on we decided that we would work with the undulating terrain, natural greenery and waterways. Only trees and plants that are endemic to the area will be planted and the natural lay of the land will be maintained,” said Arch. Manny E. Illana, studio head of ALP’s Innovation and Design Group.
The distinctive living experience offered by Riomonte lies in its interconnected system of vast parks, pocket gardens and open spaces, which embrace residents in lush greenery.
At the heart of the development is a 700-meter-long Main Park that connects to a sprawling 4.5-hectare Ridge Park that bounds the western side of the property.
The Ridge Park is then adjacent to a 20-hectare setback from Cauang-Cauang River, providing additional verdant spaces outside the development. Over on the east, providing an additional 8-hectare buffer of open space, is Cauang-Cauang Creek.
Amenities in the development are divided between a Social Zone, featuring the social hall, resident’s lounge and children’s play area; and an Activity Zone, which comprises a multipurpose court, an indoor fitness area and a swimming pool.
“Usual plans before called for a large part within a central setting. However, by doing that, it is only providing to a limited few. So, we stretched that. We provided the East-West line. By providing that, it is easier for all the residents within each cluster to access the park.
What we have done is also to separate some of the amenities between those two areas. So, technically, you have an east and a west clubhouse area,” Illana said.
“We’re creating more space for each amenity by having these separate zones. We have wide green spaces to work with, and residents will appreciate having better access to each area. This arrangement also increases privacy if events are being held in the amenity area,” Illana added.
Following the area’s topography, the natural waterways were intertwined with the major roadways. Major waterways were converted into rain gardens. The minor waterways connect and run into the drainage system.
Illana also shared that they tried to incorporate sustainability in all of their developments as a way of giving back to nature.
“So, rather than putting in concrete and mechanical drainage systems, what we do [through Manny’s group] is to provide something that’s low-impact for the environment. These are gardens during daytime, but when it rains, the water runs through [beneath] at its natural outflow and just goes back to the aquifer. So, it is a very low-impact and sustainable feature in the development,” Jugo added.
ALP properties have always been consistent in providing the distinctive living experience that its clients are accustomed to. Property values of ALP have risen significantly since the launch of Abrio in 2007, where some lots were sold at P10,000 compared to P30,000 today. People have also seen the transformation of Nuvali into a flourishing eco-community in less than eight years and how Ayala Land Inc. has delivered, and continues to deliver, its commitments to its various stakeholders.
In Nuvali, ALP has also developed the distinctive communities of Abrio, Montecito, Santierra, Elaro, Luscara and Soliento.