NUVALI: Eco-community of the future
PERSPECTIVES By Paulo Alcazaren (The Philippine Star) Updated August 16, 2009
Cities are born from the seeds of geography, demography and economics. It used to take hundreds of years for them to grow from small villages to bustling metropolises. But that was millennia ago. Today’s urban growth can overwhelm well within a lifetime. One has to make choices where to live, work, or invest, based on the source of that seed of growth and the fertility of the land where it is sown.
There is no better place to grow anything than in a valley. Valleys are where resources are consolidated by nature and channeled by man for productive and social gain. Rivers and streams network land in a valley to deliver sustenance and sustainability. It is historically that productivity of the land and the confluence of these waterways that lead to the establishment of villages, towns, and eventually cities.
In fact, colonized new lands in new climes were called plantations. The activity of establishing these settlements for productivity was called planting. Planting led to systematic plotting, or the orderly parceling of land and this led to the art and science of planning. Today, city and urban planning aims to provide the physical settings for the sustenance of people and communities, business and productivity, culture and an overall quality of life.
Good Planning, Great Harvest
The seeds for a good life can be gleaned from the origins of those seeds. One new settlement that has been ‘planted’ and is fast evolving is NUVALI, Ayala Land ’s latest and largest development located just south of Metro Manila. A joint effort with the Yulo clan, this new locus for life, livelihood and leisure is seven times Bonifacio Global City and is so huge that it straddles both Sta Rosa and Calamba cities in Laguna, yet is only 40 minutes from Makati .
It is the country’s first large scale integrated eco-community. Its master plan DNA owes much to the harvest of success generated by the company’s two earlier (and still continuing) efforts—the Makati CBD and Bonifacio Global City . It is the scale and scope of NUVALI, however, that is redefining this particular effort, one that will take it and the ecopolis well into the 21st century.
NUVALI’s green and rolling terrain covers 1,700 hectares and is a perfect setting blessed with clean air, water, and scenic vistas. Those who choose to live, work or invest in the new community will also benefit from proximity to recreational and shopping amenities, schools like the satellite campuses of Xavier School, La Salle, Ateneo, Brent, UST and St. Scholastica’s, and hospitals like the Asian Hospital and the South Luzon Medical Center.
NUVALI is planned to evolve ecologically and logically. It is designed and planned to work, and eventually will project itself as the premier regional mixed-use hub, destined to be the center of urban growth south of Manila .
The city‘s first residential enclaves and business clusters have already been built. Its excellent infrastructure with that central spine, distinctive of all Ayala Land developments, is well on its way to framing the entire extent of the planned new eco-community.
Boulevard of Great Dreams
This 60-meter wide, eight lane central spine road is called NUVALI Boulevard . It is the Ayala Avenue of the future combined with the coverage of EDSA and the aesthetics of major world class streets like the Champs Elysee in Paris , the Ringstrrasse in Vienna and Orchard Road in Singapore. NUVALI Boulevard also has separate dedicated pedestrian and bicycle lanes and dedicated future lanes for rapid transit.
Connected by this central spine, that will eventually be 6 kilometers long are the essential elements of a world-class functional city: low and medium density residential enclaves—already up are the residential enclaves of Abrio, Montecito, Treveia and Avida Settings, retail clusters, business and office campuses, civic and institutional clusters, and what will be a fully developed Central Business District as vibrant as Makati’s and Bonifacio’s.
The first component of the commercial section is already up at NUVALI. The Lakeside Evozone is made up of commercial properties composed around a picturesque lake with access by boat. Convergys, a major locator has already been up and running since January of this year. PEZA Zone incentives are available in Lakeside Evozone for PEZA registered entities. The district is perfect for BPOs, training and conference facilities, hotels and apartels, business or specialty schools at the tertiary level and hospitals or health facilities.
An Infrastructure For Success And Sustainability
Like Makati CBD and Bonifacio Global City, those who choose to live, work and invest in NUVALI will be assured of a fully integrated and infrastructure-supported development. The sections already built are managed by the Ayala Property Management Corporation, the same group responsible for the first two Ayala Land success stories. Eventually there will be local owner and resident associations patterned after the ones already operating in Makati and Bonifacio Global City. This will ensure utility management, regulation enforcement, commercial and residential area maintenance and security.
Securing a sustainable future is the main aim of all urban planning. Ayala Land’s experience and track record in development also ensures the success of its major developments. They have started large scale developments from scratch and seen them through from small clusters of buildings and residential villages to mature business districts. They have, in Makati and Bonifacio Global City planted seeds and nurtured them to robust districts that continue to sprout new growth and investment. NUVALI is the newest of its offerings to a public already familiar with its reputation for steady growth, forward thinking and responsible stewardship. NUVALI is the next masterpiece development of Ayala Land.
Nova means bright new star. NUVALI is poised to shine as the brightest point in an unparalleled location south of Makati—a valley of dreams that will offer its rewards to those able to reach for the heavens now.
SOURCE: http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=496238&publicationSubCategoryId=86
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For inquiries about Nuvali, call Coco Midel of Ayala Land Premier 0917 580 2013, or email midel.jerico@ayalalandinc.com or coco.ayala@gmail.com
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