Designing nature and tranquility
MANILA, Philippines – Sitting on an elevation overlooking the South China Sea, Meditation Point is easily the choicest spot in Kawayan Cove, the sprawling, 68-hectare exclusive residential community located at the heart of what used to be the vast sugar estate of the late Don Eduardo Roxas in Nasugbu, Batangas.
“Rather than have just one family enjoy the exceptional view, we decided to make it available to all the homeowners,” says Jose “Joey” Puyat III. With a low density of only 300 families expected to populate the seaside enclave, this unique amenity offers something so simple yet so elusive during these harried times — a tranquil retreat and space to breathe.
Meditation Point’s centerpiece could very well be the world’s largest rosary, measuring 57.29 meters, made of natural boulders and volcanic rocks forming the beads that represent the mysteries and decades of the rosary. The cruciform sculpture is made of durable granolithic stone. Its tip seems to point towards Fortune Island, which could be seen cloaked in a haze in the distance. Designed by the architectural firm of Leandro V. Locsin Partners in collaboration with renowned landscape artist Ponce Veridiano, this piece of architectural art took approximately two months to create. You enter through a thatch-roofed “temple” gate and step into the open-air sanctuary. The natural landscaping is arresting in its stark simplicity. Clumps of native bamboo and young trees anchor the grassy knoll. Dragonflies flutter about freely.
It’s a short drive down to the beach. Kawayan Cove’s Bamboo Beach features a welcome pavilion and an open dining area where guests can feast on fresh catch from the sea. On the day of our visit, we had lobsters. Nearby, beside a clump of native bamboo that has stood there since a gentler time, the oldest nipa hut on the property dating back to the 1950s was beautifully restored and now serves as a health spa where you can get a foot or whole-body massage. Or you can simply lounge at the beach, bury your toes in the fine ecru sand, and be lulled by the rhythm of the waves lapping the shore. As late as the 1970s, the only way to get to this secluded beach was via a 45-minute banca ride from a tributary near the town proper, says Carlos Celdran, who frequented the area as a young boy. Now it’s just a brief five-minute drive away.
For family gatherings and various activities, there is Kawayan Cove’s Mango Grove shaded by fruit-bearing trees dating back to the 1940s. An outdoor amphitheater faces the kiddie pool and a children’s playground featuring a giant rope spider web and a tree house.
“We’ve made a conscious effort to preserve the environment,” Puyat says.
This self-imposed discipline is evidenced by the steep slope of some of the roads that follow the natural terrain. Rather than cut down trees, they built around them. Lot owners can only build a structure occupying 35 percent of their property, leaving the rest of the space for greenery.
For Bale Laut, the first interior design foray of noted landscape artist Ponce Veridiano, recycled wood from old bowling alleys were used for the floors and even the top of a long dining table. The Zen-like sense of balance and harmony with nature extends from the inside to the outside.
The tropical landscaping is typical Veridiano, who also did Greenbelt 5 as well as the private gardens of the Ayalas, Floirendos and Madrigals. Someone made a comment that Veridiano’s landscaping is like an Arturo Luz painting, which is noted for its “meticulous simplicity.” Veridiano does not draw a design or work from a plan, Puyat relates. He simply lists down the plants he’ll need, and using the variety of plants as his medium, he creates his masterpiece.
The development, which started six years ago, has just commenced its third phase, comprising over 100 lots with an average size of 800 square meters. Located on a ridge, it offers a panoramic view of the Batangas coastline. Currently, 70 percent of Kawayan Cove’s first and second phase has been sold with 10 residential properties already constructed, all having a tropical Asian flavor. There is a commitment to preserve the environment as well as to provide more than adequate space and privacy — the ultimate luxury — to lot owners.
“Kawayan Cove is not just a property but a legacy that they can leave to their children and grandchildren, just as what my parents and grandparents did for us,” Puyat concludes.
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For more information about Kawayan Cove, call 843-9136 to 38 and 843-8820.
