Federal Land’s The Seasons Residences rises in BGC
It’s true what they say about Japan — one can never get enough of it. It’s because Japan is more than just a place, it’s a multi-sensory experience.
Japan gave me a warm embrace the first time I set foot in the East Asian island country decades ago, as a young 13-year old exchange student.
Although just four hours away from Manila by plane, Japan was a totally different world. Everything was a feast for the senses — from its unique architecture, its highly developed cuisine to the striking colors of its cherry blossoms.
As an exchange student, I was immersed into the Japanese way of life, where everything seemed to be in order and deeply rooted in history, religion, and culture. Form and function fuse perfectly in Japan. Places are as spiritual as they are physical and even the simplest acts are elegantly executed. Attention to detail is almost a religion. Indeed, everything in Japan is in perfect harmony with the environment.
I lived with two sets of foster parents. Oh, how I loved both Japanese houses I stayed in — uniquely functional, spacious, clean and orderly yet teeming with warmth. Not once did I feel homesick.
My first foster father was a farmer. Every morning, I would tag along with him to deliver cow’s milk to buyers before he dropped me off at school. Going around the rural community was magical — the air was always crisp, the greenery always seemed more intense and the sun was striking when it showed itself.
My second foster mother cooked really well and doomed my palate for Japanese cuisine forever. Her cooking became my standard for Japanese food.
I learned the joyful ritual of Japanese bathing. Ofuro literally means large bathtub traditionally made of hinoki or Japanese cypress.
Bathing is more than a routine in Japan. It’s a daily cleansing ritual, as the Japanese value the purifying and healing properties of bathing, connecting it to the importance of purification in Buddhism and Shintoism.
These and so much more developed in me an immense love for the Japanese way of life so much so that every time I visit the Land of the Rising Sun, I still keep wanting for more.
It’s true what they say about Japan — one can never get enough of it. It’s because Japan is more than just a place, it’s a multi-sensory experience.
THE SEASONS RESIDENCES
With this in mind, one property developer, Federal Land Inc. of the Ty-owned GT Capital Holdings Inc., is giving Filipinos the opportunity to own a piece of Japan — through The Seasons Residences in Bonifacio Global City.
This means people in the Philippines don’t have to travel all the way to Japan to experience the Japanese way of life.
Federal Land has partnered with Japanese giants, Nomura Real Estate Development, part of the Nomura Group of Companies and Isetan Mitsukoshi Holdings Ltd., a holding company mainly engaged in the department store business, to build The Seasons Residences and first Mitsukoshi in the country.
The goal is to bring a piece of Japan to the thriving and pulsating BGC metropolis in Taguig.
The Seasons Residences will rise in BGC’s newest premier lifestyle center, the Grand Central Park, right next to one of the most iconic buildings in Metro Manila’s skyline, the Grand Hyatt Manila hotel.
Grand Central Park is a mixed-use, integrated lifestyle center and in its heart will rise The Seasons Residences, a four-tower residential condominium with a distinct Japanese concept that emphasizes the four Japanese elements: technology, functionality, safety and harmony with the environment.
Each tower has 40- to 50 storeys and will have about 300 residential units of varied sizes — one-, two- and three-bedroom units. The sizes are more spacious than others available in the market with the one-bedroom at 46 to 62 square meters for instance.
A COMBINATION OF JAPANESE ELEMENTS, FILIPINO HOSPITALITY
The developers worked together to find the harmonious balance between Japanese elements and Filipino hospitality for The Seasons Residences.
This balance is reflected in the buildings’ architecture and design, as well as its amenities. Japanese technology and design principles were observed to convey the style, convenience, and eco-friendliness of Japanese living.
Uniquely Japanese storage solutions, like kitchen floor storage and spacious shoe cabinet, are installed in each unit to maximize every inch of usable space and keep everything organized.
Innovative Japanese technology is optimized to ensure safety and security. All four towers, for instance, incorporate a sophisticated damper system, a breakthrough in earthquake vibration control technology, the same system used in some of the tallest buildings and structures in the world, including the world’s longest suspension bridge, the Akashi Kaikyō Bridge in Japan.
Indoor security features include a state-of-the-art keycard access system for the elevators and residential unit main door. Energy-efficient lights and Japanese-branded ecological bathroom fixtures are installed in every unit.
The Seasons Residences is dedicated to bringing all these technologies to Filipinos seeking a better way of living.
LIVING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE
Channeling Japan’s deep respect for nature, the condominium’s amenity floor takes inspiration from Japan’s four seasons: Haru (spring), Natsu (summer), Aki (autumn), and Fuyu (winter).
Haru or spring houses the gym with top-of-the-line equipment as well as a lush garden for some alone time to meditate and find one’s inner zen.
Natsu or summer means a refreshingly fun time at the pool. The Seasons has separate pools for kids and adults and there are function rooms for get-togethers.
Aki or Autumn encourages one’s creativity, so residents can make use of the well-appointed business center and the music studio.
People stay home during winter, so Fuyu offers the dry garden to meditate and reflect or spend some time in the spa to detoxify and recharge.
Residents can also share all these with friends and families with a unique feature, the Guest House. Located at the amenity deck, the Guest House features a Japanese-inspired tea room and a spacious bedroom, so guests can rest, relax, and experience the Japanese lifestyle for themselves.
MITSUKOSHI
At the heart of The Seasons Residences is the very first Mitsukoshi in the Philippines, offering a uniquely Japanese mall-going experience. It is the first Japanese inspired mall in the Philippines.
It is a residential development with a unique shopping mall, easily transporting residents to Japan’s famed shopping retail giant.
The stores and restaurants at Mitsukoshi will be carefully curated to reflect the brand’s dedication to providing the ultimate Japanese shopping experience.
Mitsukoshi is also bringing its signature supermarket to the Philippines to elevate one’s grocery experience. Shoppers can expect a wide array of high-quality goods from Japan, which can be found in the supermarket’s own sweets shop, fresh items section, and premium food court.
Indeed, future residents of The Seasons Residences will enjoy both bliss and balance right at the heart of BGC. Just by staying at home, one will certainly enjoy the Japanese way of life. Only this time, it’s much better, because it’s perfectly mixed with the warmth of Filipino hospitality.
To know more about the project, call The Seasons Residences hotline at 0998-595-5834, email us at [email protected] or visit the showroom at 7th Ave cor. 34th St., Grand Central Park, North BGC, Taguig City (across the Lexus Manila Showroom).