The prolific architect Anthony Nazareno and his team breathe new life to this home built in the Eighties
Just like time, space is a luxury nowadays, holding an immeasurable value in our daily lives. In Manila, where many are confined to vertical developments, having more than enough room to move around has become increasingly rare. For the fortunate few who live in spacious landed residences, they can tend a garden, host al fresco parties, and have their children freely play and run around. Such is the case for this homeowner, whose original home built four decades ago was revamped into an airy abode amidst an urban jungle. At the helm of this renovation was the seasoned architect Anthony Nazareno and his team who breathed new life into the home, opening as much area as possible.
“I just love waking up in the morning and enjoying the space, the simplicity and the homey feel of the house,” says the owner. “This is definitely my dream home.” With a carefully planned layout that flows fluidly just like the lifestyle of the owner, as well as impressive, handpicked materials that seamlessly blend together the old and the new, it is not hard to understand why this split-level home won Best Living Space at this year’s Tatler Homes Design Awards.
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The gates open into a wide driveway, where you are greeted with the massive main door and a trellised glass canopy. “The entrance itself is massive but light,” says Nazareno. On your right is a sprawling garden that gives you a prelude to the expansive 2,397sqm property, calling you to go for a walk or have brunch under centuries-old trees. “One of the non-negotiables which the owner and I agreed on was that none of the trees are going down,” he adds. In fact, the team has taken advantage of the beautiful foliage that’s already existing and created an outdoor vignette around a huge tree in the middle of the property. The garden alone is a breath of fresh air in a city as cramped and busy as Makati.
From the main door, you are easily transported to the capacious living space, which the architect dubs “the great room”. It is an expansive open-plan area, bathing in natural light that peeks through the 3.5-metre-high ceiling and the tall floor-to-ceiling glass doors. “The room feels like it breathes. It’s just so welcoming, so pleasant to be in. It’s a joyful space for a cheerful and welcoming person [who owns the home],” Nazareno says how the place radiates the owner’s bubbly and easy-going character. The brightness of the sun bounces off the beautiful accoya wood in blonde finish and Iranian travertine walls—a stone that the architect highly recommended—as well as the neutral-coloured furniture by Roche Bobois.