This upcoming commercial complex has design features to accommodate health and safety protocols.
Malls may have been deemed as essential, but their operations have been hampered when the pandemic’s community quarantines came into effect. As a place where Filipinos like to leisurely gather and cool off with air-conditioning, the current mall designs do not exactly fit the protocols connected with the pandemic. Movements inside the malls have been limited, and even favorite leisure activities such as dining at restaurant outlets have been restricted to accommodate a few customers at a time. The current protocols call for physical distancing, good ventilation, and when possible, limiting the capacity of a venue.
The Versailles Town Plaza, which just had its ground-breaking ceremony last September 17, considers all of these in its structural design. The commercial complex, which is located along Daang Hari Road across Ayala Alabang Village’s Champaca gate in Las Piñas, will open in the third quarter of 2023 to serve the residents of the upscale Versailles Alabang Village of State Properties and its nearby communities.
Future forward
As it was being planned during the pandemic, it already has provisions to keep its shoppers safe within its wide open and green spaces. Arch Haus designed the modern Mediterranean-themed building with convenience and accessibility in mind.
Unlike other malls that rely on air-conditioning for ventilation, Versailles Town Plaza has large windows all over the complex to allow fresh air in. An al fresco area is also dedicated to F&B pods that will be located right outside the entrance of the town plaza’s spacious supermarket area. “This will offer customers convenience and safety, so they can easily satisfy their food cravings on the go,” explains State Properties external executive vice president Mary Maquilan.
The commercial center is also designed to focus on providing the necessities of the community, which will soon include a mixed-use township, also to be developed by State Properties. Aside from F&B outlets, among the targeted locators will be a supermarket, bank, laundry service, fitness center, beauty salon, and health clinic. “We want to be able to answer their needs without having them drive out too far for their shopping or other services,” Maquilan says.
The roof terrace will have an events venue that will also be managed by the developer whose palatial Versailles Clubhouse has been a popular venue for many milestone celebrations. “Versailles Town Plaza will be the place that people nearby will think of first when they want to dine out, to eat good food, to buy something, or if they are just looking for a place to relax,” she adds.
Present at the ground-breaking event was Almanza Dos Barangay chairman Mirajon DP Alovera, who thanked the developer for providing employment opportunities for the community, for both construction workers and, eventually, for retail workers. Maquilan shares, “When we conceptualized this project, we also had in mind our corporate social responsibilities. There are business and employment opportunities for people in Las Piñas and nearby cities and municipalities; not to mention the additional tax collections for the local and national government. At State Properties, we are building the future for all, with progress in mind.”
