Mt. Makiling is part of the grand design
Inquirer 7/9/2008
Located uniquely in an elevated position, Ayala Greenfield faces a 360-degree view that spans Laguna Lake in the north, Mount Makiling in the east, then down to green countryside in the south and Tagaytay Ridge in the west.
This perch gives one a different perspective. To Rick Pusag, who has lived in the United States for 20 years, it is like embracing again the land that he's missed, breathing its air and taking in its sight. He built his dream home upon coming back to the Philippines.
His house sits atop one of the property's highest points, giving him a grand view of Mt. Makiling and the championship golf course of Ayala Greenfield Estates.
"I love the view of the mountain because its image constantly changes throughout the day," he explains. There is no better place to watch the power of nature unfold than from the large picture windows that wrap around Rick's two-story home, a modern structure that seems to have been carved out of the sloping land.
"I wanted to take full advantage of the slope," says Rick. "We didn't want to do drastic excavations on the land, which is why the house is multi-level. It follows the terrain.
" While the structure, with its straight lines and perfect 90-degree angles, is a modern masterpiece, it pays respect to the environment surrounding it.
Views are central to the design of the home. The kitchen looks out to the golf course and mountain, the dining room has a stunning view of the garden, and even the guest bathroom looks out into the koi pond.
Rick's affinity with water and its multi-dimension qualities is evident in how the sound of trickling water is incorporated in the architecture. One can be cooking breakfast with the windows open, and hear the soothing hum of flowing water coming from outside.
The house's private rooms on the second floor give incredible view of the mountain.
The Kenneth Cobonpue bed is flanked by matching pendant lights hung low; the lightness of the furniture balances out the astonishing greenery that sweeps in through the windows.
From the outdoor patios and balconies, one looks out to the waterfall that gives the house facade its distinct look, and more breathtaking, at the vast horizon.
"I step outside and I have the water and the view," says Rick. "At night, all the stars come out. When I'm here, I don't want to go back to the city.
" In this place man commune with nature. It's an interaction born of man's respect and loving cultivation of nature.
Source: Filipinas Heritage Library News Service