In Manila, where chaos and slow-going traffic are the norm, everybody shares the dream of creating the ultimate urban getaway, and Drs Z and Aivee Teo are a pair that can do it exceptionally well. In putting up their widely successful Aivee Clinics, both in the Philippines and in Singapore, both make sure to offer not only state-of-the-art cosmetic treatments but also elegant interiors and a holistic experience—a true extension of the comforts of home.
Their own place echoes this philosophy but was years in the making, with the property purchased in 2010 and construction taking place almost four years later. “At the time [2010] I was pregnant with my second child, and we figured we needed more room,” Aivee explains. “We started looking around and then we found this space, but we didn’t conceptualise right away.” Work on the Aivee Clinics and the recent completion of their Singapore home resulted in the project being shelved for some time; but when their third child was born, Z and Aivee decided it was time to build their Manila home.
Z and Aivee both prefer modern design, which they feel is reflected in Singaporean architecture, so it was natural for them to commission the same architects who had helped create their Singapore home. “There’s something very young about Singaporean design,” Aivee says. “I wanted a different look for us because we’re a young couple with young kids. I wanted the house to truly reflect our personality.” For construction logistics, the Teos flew in the architects Khoo Boo Aik and Malcolm Chua from the Singaporean design firm AVID once a month to work on the design, but commissioned the Filipino architect Anthony Nazareno to execute the work.