AS an advisor not just in real estate but in corporate sustainability, I have been in perpetual search of companies who #dowell by #doinggood. The Century Pacific Group, founded by Ricardo Po, is one such conglomerate.
Although known as a giant in the food industry, with both Century Tuna and the Shakeys Group, what is perhaps their standard bearer for sustainability is the real estate’s best-kept secret, “boutique” developer ArthaLand.
Doubly certified by Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and Building for Ecologically Responsive Design Excellence (Berde), and ArthaLand’s testament to sustainability, ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower opened its doors to industry leaders and the media on its inauguration. Spearheaded by ArthaLand Vice Chairman and President Jaime C. Gonzalez and Executive Vice President Leonardo Arthur T. Po with distinguished architect from Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Llp.’s Nicolas Medrano, the event was certainly one for the books for ArthaLand’s crown jewel.
ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower, upfront, may seem just like another flashy development in an already congested business district but, if an honest onlooker would care to peel back the surface and look under, he will find that there is so much more to the shiny façade.
Layers to a story
Entering ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower is like opening up a Russian nesting doll of wonders: You will come with a realization that this is not just another space. It’s an absolutely incredible experience. As you enter, you will immediately feel the difference and sense that you are occupying a building that has a lot more to offer. You will notice that the space, for one, is wider and more open. Where normal buildings usually have low ceilings and poor lighting, ArthaLand Century pacific Tower is much more generous and lets a lot of sunshine in to brighten up the foyer. In other words, it spares no expense. And why should it?
ArthaLand was dubbed as the crown jewel of the real-estate development firm. Partnering up with the creative genius of Nicolas Medrano of the New York architectural firm, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Llp; the vision of Gonzalez and Po came into fruition—setting this gem at the heart of one Metro Manila’s busiest financial and commercial districts, Bonifacio Global City (BGC).
As you explore the building further, you pop open another layer that equally and positively surprises you.
What you might immediately miss is how incredibly “light” the air around each floor is and how comfortable it feels to the senses because of how the walls are laid out, which allows ventilation and circulation at an optimum.
The hidden wonders of the building begin to unfold like petals to spring. On the upper levels, the sun continues to bathe each floor, underscoring the tall ceiling and wide floor area similar to the foyer and, at this point, you would notice that there is a story being told here; a story that many of us have been through at least once in our lives. It is the story, according to Medrano, of “order from chaos.”
Truly, it was an ambitious project to undertake, and the process of planning to constructing, to finally opening its doors is told succinctly through the exterior: serrated edges at the base that slowly transition to a much more ordered appearance the higher it rises.
Of course, the serrated design of the exterior windows is not just for show. Where most buildings root for an iconic look, ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower goes beyond that and integrates a sustainable, environment-friendly design. From the choice of materials like energy-efficient bulbs to what is called “Low-E” glass, and to lumber collected from sustainable forests—the team took great strides in making sure that ArthaLand’s commitment to the environment is given its due—a commitment that earned ArthaLand Doubly Certified by the US Green Building Council’s LEED and Berde by the Philippine Green Building Green Building Council. Not only is ArthaLand stopping there, but the ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower is right on track to achieving Berde’s Gold Standard Certification.
In a country where environmental issues are pressing but oftentimes overlooked, it is refreshing to see sectors like the real-estate industry take initiative in doing their part for the environment as you continue to reveal the nesting doll of stories told by the building.
A legacy for generations to come
After having a wonderful afternoon talking with Gonzalez and Po, I have learned that, being more than just in the business of “building buildings,” ArthaLand is a company that builds legacies through its projects that will live on for generations to come.
To these distinguished executives, having to build something for their children and their children’s children is akin to being materially and spiritually rewarded: an ideal that is a pillar of ArthaLand as a company.
As ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower rises on the BGC cityscape, ArthaLand shows no signs of easing its commitment to creating a positive impact in the real-estate industry and, more important, the environment; tirelessly paving the way to leading the charge in “Going Green” with projects, developments and social responsibility. In fact, on its glass surface, the building reflects the city like a metaphor as if its neighbors look up to it, aspiring to be like it—similar to how a younger sibling would look up to an older brother or sister.
After learning of this story, any person may walk on the building’s jewel-like floor and look up and around to take it all in. The nesting doll of wonders continues to astound and keep me in awe. I would think that anyone who would care to listen to what the building has to say will definitely be left in the same wonderment as I am.
As I stepped back into the street and walked down the building’s arcade, I am washed with a new perspective as I maneuver through the busy sidewalk, walking away from the building I have just seen minutes ago.
Like Orpheus longing for Eurydice, I turned around to see it again: that magnificent building. But, unlike Orpheus, I had no regrets looking back because, now, I can hear it tell a story about order coming out of chaos.
A story about building legacies and commitments.
A story that speaks to everyone on a material and spiritual level.
A story told by ArthaLand Century Pacific Tower and the people behind it.
A story that goes beneath the surface and appreciates the beauty it hides inside.