THE landscape of Metro Manila is beginning to be redefined by some of the most iconic structures coming from the best boutique developers in the country.
Inspired by the emergence of boutique developers who are changing the way we build and work, I have decided to do a series on developers who create each property as if it were their last.
Fifty Six Central is Daiichi Properties’s brand new 44,000-square-meter creative office building, with 12 office floors and 1,700 sq m of ground floor retail thoughtfully designed to put tenants on the leading edge of their businesses.
Recognized as the Five Star Best Office Development Philippines in the 2019 Asia Pacific Property Awards, this world-class building sets the standard for all others to follow at the new Arca South.
After developing four consecutive world-class office projects in Bonifacio Global City, Daiichi Properties embarks in a new journey in the next business district of Arca South. Its latest project, Fifty Six Central, continues the Daiichi Properties signature of the most iconic and high-quality office buildings in very well-connected locations such as Arca South.
Arca South is a 74-hectare master-planned, mixed-use development strategically located along the East Service Road of the South Luzon Expressway and is easily accessible via C-5 Road. It is also adjacent to the much-anticipated Taguig Integrated Terminal Exchange (ITX), which will serve as a central station for all provincial buses carrying passengers to and from Laguna, Batangas and other provinces. A Skyway runs east-west across Arca South to link the whole site to Slex and to the planned Metro Manila Expressway. The proposed Mega Manila Subway will also have a station within the district.
‘Not so traditional’
Fifty Six Central is not your typical office building; it infuses concept, branding and unique elements into its building design to enhance the experience of tenants.
Full glass concept
Fifty Six Central’s façade reveals a fully transparent glass skin—a crystal framed in architectural form. The full glass design allows every floor to maintain full daylighting and views to the north, east and south, a critical productivity factor for people to work at their best.
Generous lobby and digital wall
Fifty Six Central’s crystalline exterior extends to its generously spaced lobby, framing the space as a precious gem within the jewel-box-like architectural exterior. In the center of the lobby is the reception counter with a digital wall, infusing vitality with its showcased artworks, videos and beautiful graphics.
Innovative auditorium staircase
The lobby is not only a place to go through when entering and exiting the building; it is a place where the building community can get together, to refresh and to recharge. The grand and innovative auditorium staircase in the lobby is the “place to be” in Fifty Six Central—people can relax, talk and see others.
Vibrant coworking
Daiichi Properties and the design team put an emphasis on community by integrating a vibrant co-working venue into the building design. Whether used for expansion or a company’s first step on the path to success, coworking fuels a highly collaborative spirit that is sought after and appreciated by young talent.
Dynamic retail amenities
Fifty Six Central has allotted retail spaces with soaring ceilings that will welcome retailers to provide the office population with food, drinks and other service offerings. The retail amenities will provide comfort and convenience to tenants, and infuse dynamism to the building community.
Thoughtfully designed for businesses
Daiichi Properties carefully considered what would be important to the tenants of Fifty Six Central, leading to the large and flexible floor plans, and top-of-the-line facilities ensuring business efficiency.
Large floor plates
Fifty Six Central sits on two adjacent properties, providing the largest floor plates in a building of this class in the city. Each 3,000-sq-m floor at Fifty Six Central provides ample room for large tenants who need to provide a wide range of open spaces, offices, meeting rooms and critical support spaces for employees.
Flexible spaces
The office floors in Fifty Six Central are designed flexibly to cater to tenants with varying size requirements, and can host single or multiple tenants. With columns spaced strategically and generously from each other, tenants are given added flexibility in designing their offices.
Offset core
Fifty Six Central’s unique offset core layout makes the large floor plates ready for hosting multi-tenant floors and provides more space for tenants to design their units flexibly.
Twenty high-speed elevators
The building is equipped with 20 high-speed elevators, 16 of which use the destination dispatch system for elevators and serve the low- to high-rise floors. The rest are the shuttle elevators to the parking floors and service elevators. Together with the offset elevator lobbies, the high-speed elevators enable faster access to every floor, reducing waiting and travel times.
Enhanced structural design
Fifty Six Central continues the tradition of Daiichi Properties’s buildings with enhanced structural design that can withstand earthquakes and typhoons. Leading structural engineer Thornton Tomasetti optimized the design and performance of Fifty Six Central to ensure its resistance to natural disasters.
Winning combination
Fifty Six Central is the culmination of Daiichi Properties’s learnings and experiences in developing world-class buildings for over 25 years. For this building, Daiichi Properties brought together once again the leading global design firm Gensler and top structural engineering firm Thornton Tomasetti.
Gensler has designed Daiichi Properties’s past three projects—One World Place, World Plaza and The Finance Centre. Thornton Tomasetti worked on the 42-story The Finance Centre, ensuring the high-rise tower’s structural performance.
The winning combination has led Daiichi Properties to win for the fourth time the Best Office Development Philippines plum in the 2019 Asia Pacific Property Awards.