One of the most prominent and respected real еstatе development companies in the country today is Century Properties. Several iconic buildings of Century Properties have drastically enhanced the city skyline especially its tallest project, The Gramercy Tower.
Since it was founded 27 years ago, Century Properties has transformed about 75 hectares of building space into premier residential and office developments in and outside Metro Manila. Its name has become synonymous with quality real еstatе projects that showcase the best of innovations and world-class design, with a desire to contribute to the transformation of the Philippines into a global destination.
The entrepreneur behind Century Properties is Executive Chairman of the Board Jose E.B. Antonio or Joey to his friends. His hits include Essensa East Forbes, and currently, the Milano Residences, interior designed by Versace Home, and Trump Tower at Century City, Makati.
For each of its developments, Century engages world-renowned architects and personalities to work on the architecture and interiors to make an outstanding building in the end. Century Spire commissioned exceptional architect Daniel Libeskind to design Century Properties’ newest residential condo, with Armani/Casa doing the amenity interiors.
Libeskind is known for creating some of the world’s most imaginative structures that are celebrated not just for their aesthetic magnificence, but also for their social and cultural significance. A distinguishing factor in his work is his humanistic approach to building design. His designs of museums, convention centers, universities, hotels, shopping centers and residential projects all celebrate “life, victorious.”
He uses the term in his essay, “Memory Foundations,” referring to his design of the Freedom Tower in Ground Zero, New York City. Through Studio Daniel Libeskind, the architect won the competition for the masterplan of redevelopment of the World Trade Center site.
“At a resonant 1776 feet tall, the Freedom Tower—in my master plan, second in importance only to the 9/11 memorial itself—will rise above its predecessors, reasserting the preeminence of freedom and beauty, restoring the spiritual peak to the city and proclaiming America’s resilience even in the face of profound danger, of our optimism even in the aftermath of tragedy. Life, victorious.”
Freedom Tower’s height is not without symbolism; Libeskind made it 1776 feet as homage to the year the United States declared its independence. Giving Century Spire an arresting exterior allure is Studio Daniel Libeskind. The tower is Libeskind’s first work in the Philippines.
Century Spire is composed of three main elements: an office space component, the Armani/Casa-designed amenities, and the residential spaces that reach up to 60 floors. Geometric shapes provide an interesting fusion of playful and sophisticated designs for each floor. The building crown has three interlocking and sophistically designed geometric shapes.
Libeskind’s design for the 60-story, residential-office Century Spire is a bold and optimistic statement about the future of the country. The location also lends a dramatic backdrop to the skyscraper’s architecture. Situated within Century City, an eight-tower vertical village of premium and internationally branded residential, office and retail projects on Kalayaan Avenue in Makati, the building completes a vision for a cosmopolitan and world-class Metro Manila.
Armani/Casa will lend its expertise in doing the amenity interiors of Century Spire, while Libeskind weaves his magic on the structure itself. Check it out at centuryspire.com.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer | February 15, 2014
