Horizon Homes: A show flat of perfect harmony

MANILA, Philippines – Much has been said about Shangri-La at the Fort, one of the most beautiful buildings in the heart of Bonifacio Global City’s fastest rising business and lifestyle district. Set to open in 2016, it has been attracting the attention of those who want to call Horizon Homes, the 98 luxury residential units sitting atop of Shangri-La’s newest hotel, their home.

The Shangri-La, a name synonymous with quality and exceptional service, offers only the best for their discerning clientele, and in their latest and greatest project, they continue to prove what they are all about. For the show suite alone, Shangri-la approached no less than FM-Architettura d’Interni, an Italian design house headed by Francesca Muzio and Maria Silvia Orlandini.

Known for their “turnkey solutions,” the award winning duo goes beyond the limits of traditional interior design, from conceptualization to completion, making use of their extensive community of artisans, craftsmen and more, all of which are based in Marche, Italy.

“Our work involves mixing different styles and we strongly believe in an exchange of culture and tradition. We are Italians with in-depth experience of mega yachts and, for each new job, try and blend our own reality with the roots on which a project is based,” Muzio explains. “As an example, the Philippines is known worldwide for a very special kind of leather manufacturing process called galuchat or shagreen. We chose this high quality product for some of the special pieces in the interior design of this project, such as the coffee table, console and bookshelves.”

They began work by considering what “balance” meant both when referring to interior design and the sphere of the project while identifying themselves with clients who would be living in these magnificent homes.

Upon entering the main salon, one’s immediate perception is that of perfect harmony between the various elements present. This does not come from a “sum” of factors, but rather unity between the features, which have different characteristics but merge beautifully as a whole. “The consistency in the detail of the sofas, for example, is made lighter by their steel base, giving the impression that they are suspended in this space,” says Muzio.

The same color palette of greys and creams continues in the master suite, where voluptuous silk-taffeta curtains and a velvet bedspread adorn both the windows and the canopy bed. Upon entering the master suite, one is greeted by the room’s statement piece, a beautifully crafted bookshelf unit with details in leather and valuable woods. “Almost the entire project was designed and developed in Italy, involving over 25 expert artisans, who skillfully hand crafted exceptionally high quality materials to produce many of the precious items used,” Muzio explains.

Muzio, an architecture graduate of Genoa University Barcelona, has worked on projects in multiple countries like the United States, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Greece, Bahrain and Russia. Under her leadership, FM Architettura di Iterni has gained a long list of project types, from high residences to whole residential complexes. Most interesting in their portfolio however is the number of mega yachts they have designed. Given the many limitations of designing a seafaring vessel, FM-Architettura d’Iterni proves that challenges are meant to be taken on, as they create some of the most beautiful super yachts for the world’s elite. The result of the Horizon Homes show suite is the perfect symmetry of proportions, shape and colour in each and every detail found in the various rooms.

 “Everything we make is designed with the owners in mind. In this case, we envisioned the lifestyle of the Horizon Homes resident and incorporated it into the design aesthetic,” says Muzio. Residents can come home to a space that is beautiful, yet lends the feeling of comfort. In the same complex below the Shangri-La hotel and hotel residences, they can find a retail podium composed of carefully curated stores and restaurants and Kerry Sports Center, a total fitness hub. Also within walking distance are shopping destinations, international schools, prestigious offices, and one of the country’s top medical centers.

Future residents of Horizon Homes will enjoy the same level of quality, care, and hospitality that he Shangri-La brand is known for. Like FM-Architettura d’Iterni, the Shangri-La goes beyond the limits of traditional residential developments, as it offers a home today that will last several generations to come. This is Horizon Homes living, and it’s just the beginning.

For information on Horizon Homes, contact Horizon Homes at the Fort, Manila through horizonhomes.slfm@shangri-la.com or call 752-7377, 841-9681, 0917-8811009, 0908-8820642.