Globe Tower wins best commercial dev't award

MANILA, Philippines - Globe Telecom's corporate headquarters in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) was awarded the Best Commercial Development in the Philippines at the recent South East Asia Property Awards 2014 held in Singapore.

The Globe Tower, a 27-storey building for more than 4,000 employees of Globe, bested Park Centrale Cebu and SM Aura Premiere in the category. The building was also shortlisted in the Best Commercial Architectural Design category, winning a "Highly Commended" citation.

"The Globe Toweris the embodiment of the company's efforts to be a world-class industry leader, creating an environment that reflects our vibrant culture and passion for technology. As our company’s core values were used as basis for the design expression of the building's interior spaces, the structure represents Globe's aspirations of creating a strong link between consumers, people and the community," Globe President and Chief Executive Officer Ernest Cu said.

The Globe Tower also recently bagged two awards at the Philippine Property Awards, where it was named Best Commercial Architectural Design and Best Commercial Development (office category). The awards made The Globe Tower eligible to compete at the South East Asia Awards.

Organized by Ensign Media, the regional property awards followed more than six months of comprehensive deliberation and site visits across South East Asia, involving the best property developments in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines. Ayala Land, Globe Telecom’s sister company, emerged as Best Developer in the region after it was declared Best Developer at the Philippine Property Awards.

The Globe Tower was designed to diverge from its rigid, box-type predecessors, opting for an angular form that breaks down the tower's mass, making it one of the most iconic facades in BGC. The angles are softened by the use of glass that reflects the surrounding environment. The facade's overall look is a play on the signal bar icon on mobile phones.

The Globe Tower has 19 office floors with open work areas, meeting rooms and themed breakout rooms designed for impromptu employee meetings as well as huddle rooms that feature acoustically treated branded walls and glass whiteboards. There are LED TV screens in selected locations for digital information and announcements. On the 19th Floor is the Employee Center, furnished with café-style round tables, warm circular lights and geometric carpets. It provides various services such as IT Bar, prayer room, clinic, Mom's room, banking center and a Globe boutique.

The building also has a dedicated floor called "The Forum" for large group gatherings, meetings or simply chatting with guests. The tower's ground floor showcases the main lobby and an elegant glass staircase leading to The Loft where the Globe Store and Showroom is located. The Globe concept store operates to serve employees and clients. Across the grand staircase is the Lifestyle Bar, a resto-bar brandishing the hip and cool, old New York-style vibe.

The building also has a cafeteria floor aptly named Taste where all payments are made through GCash. Taste accommodates 600 seats and houses a medley of international and local cuisines food stalls and kiosks in chic modern ambiance. In addition to that, the tower has 3 outdoor balcony gardens with landscaping designs comparable to luxury resorts. The gardens showcase TGT's ecological drive and pockets of nature for relaxation and inspiration. The building also has nine parking levels.

Following energy efficiency standards, the building makes use of 100 percent LED lights which significantly reduces lighting use, efficient water consumption and air handling, strict waste segregation and disposal.