By Walter Ang
June-August 2009 issue
Metro Home and Entertaining Magazine
Immersion in nature is a major component. The development includes a six-hectare park with man-made fishing lagoons and a 26-hectare orchard park filled with mango trees. It's less than an hour drive from Makati and accessible through the expansion of the South Luzon Expressway through three exits: Mamplasan, Sta. Rosa, and Malitlit.
Young families will appreciate Westgrove Heights' proximity to schools such as St. Scholastica-Westgrove, De La Salle Canlubang and Don Bosco School; retail centers such as Paseo de Santa Rosa and Alabang Town Center; and the currently in construction St. Benedict-Westgrove Church.
The major highlight for Ayala Westgrove Heights is The Crestwood, an exclusive phase offering house-and-lot packages (a first for developer Ayala Land Premier) featuring a selection of limited-edition designs by architect Conrad Onglao.
The idea here is "plug-and-play," where homeowners choose a lot first and then they select a house model to "plug" into the lot. Buyers of these homes won't have to go through the hassles of dealing with contractors, getting permits, looking for suppliers, and deciding on finishes. Ayala Land Premier will oversee the entire process for them. "It's like having your own house built without having to pay for the services of an architect or engineer," Onglao says.
Onglao has created three house models to choose from: Cypress is the basic model with 300sqm. Laurel has 350sqm. and features a balcony. Olive includes a lanai in its 400sqm. Both Olive and Laurel have additional service kitchen areas.
Foremost in Onglao's designs is the sense of height and space. "The common features for all three models are the double volume living room and the maximized space, with ceilings at almost ten feet high," Onglao says. "The windows are designed so that when you're lying in bed, you can appreciate the view." Almost every single wall has windows that allow as much light in as possible and for cross ventilation.
"Of course, the windows provide wonderful views. The only perimeter walls for the lots are in a corner where the laundry area is located," says Onglao. The Crestwood is planned around an 8,000-sqm. park and buyers of parkside lots will have the luxury of having their backyards extend into the park, further adding a sense of expanse. Of course, there are other options for lot locations such as those that face the rising sun or lots that are more secluded.
No matter the location, all the Crestwood homes will have interior finishes that include engineered oak wood flooring, tempered clear glass panelling, and travertine granite countertops for bathrooms. Exterior materials use concrete roof tiles and stone-clad accent walls. All homes have underground termite control systems and three-drain systems to prevent clogs.
Home buyers needn't worry about a potential cookie-cutter look for their home. Personalization is a key element of the process. "We made sure that every house would be markedly different from the other in terms of space planning," says Onglao. "They'll also have the option for structural or architectural extensions, façade coloring and cladding, and landscaping, all done to their specifications."
For inquiries on Ayala Westgrove Heights, call 848-5000, email ask@ayalalandpremier.com or visit www.ayalalandpremier.com. Model houses are available for viewing onsite.