No more tall walls

Opportunities for neighbors to develop close ties with one another and a strong sense of community will be built into Sonera, the newest phase of Ayala Southvale Village in southern Metro Manila.

Through the Village Green, a 10,000 sq. m. community center, homeowners as well as children of all ages will have many reasons to interact with one another through various recreational facilities. Aside from sports facilities and a playground, the area also integrates an expansive social hall, a teen center and various gardens.

"The Village Green will be the convergence point for residents," says Tom Mirasol, Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI) assistant vice president. "We’ve anticipated the needs of adults, teens and kids and have designed areas for their use at Sonera."

Sonera is a 20-hectare residential subdivision being developed by Ayala Land. It has been envisioned as a "fenceless and free" community where homes and families will not be hidden behind tall walls. Backed up by village deed restrictions that stipulate a five-meter setback, homes will have wide frontages that encourage lush landscaping and greenery. "Sonera’s design encourages neighbors to interact with one another and in the process share a common vision and purpose for the community," notes Mirasol.

He discloses that Ayala Land drew inspiration for Sonera from its long heritage of building successful communities in Makati, Alabang, and Quezon City. He observes that in addition to the prompt delivery of basic infrastructure and amenities and its maintenance through the years, generations of homeowners seek different qualities in their communities.

Sonera’s open and welcoming ambience appears to be hitting the mark with the current crop of lot buyers who have taken up over 50 percent of the available lots since the launch in March 2005. Observes Mirasol: "They want an open and free atmosphere within the community and at the same time want to feel secure."

To address this, Sonera will also feature state-of-the-art security systems. The flow of cars and visitors entering and leaving the community will be monitored and controlled by computer-automated security systems. Moreover, infrared sensors and surveillance cameras will be installed in sensitive areas of the subdivision including the Village Green.

These systems will allow residents inside the subdivision the freedom to walk around freely. Parents will have little qualms about allowing their children to visit the Village Green’s Kids Park where the pool for youngsters will be enhanced by a water play area equipped with water cannons.

Sonera is accessible from Southvale Drive along Daang Hari Road, which intersects with Commerce Avenue and the Alabang-Zapote Road. For more information about Sonera, call the Ayala Land, Inc. hotline at 728-7000 or email [email protected].