Cover Photo: Courtesy of VCDC
Photo: Courtesy of VCDC
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Hear from Victor Consunji how moving into the sustainable homes at Vie at Southern Plains easily purveys a life lived to the fullest
Despite the forecast of scattered rainfall in Metro Manila on a Saturday morning, guests continued to arrive in droves at Vie at Southern Plains in Calamba, Laguna for a charged discovery of not only the gorgeous homes offered by Victor Consunji Development Corporation (VCDC)’s newest project in the south but more so the fine quality of life you can fetch at this idyllic location.
“We all know the saying ‘the home is where the heart is’, but at the same time I think we’ve all kind of forgotten what homes are and how they are different from houses,” mused VCDC CEO Victor Consunji as he sat down with Tatler during the recently held event.
Read more: How Victor Consunji is Creating the Future-Proof, Sustainable Home
Proceeding to paint the typical lifestyle of someone who lives in the hubbub of the city, Consunji described that many of us look to shared city spaces for functions and luxuries we could otherwise have at home—for instance, those seeking a breath of fresh air might flock to the parks of greener areas like Bonifacio Global City, while those who wish to entertain guests at home might find it easier to host socials at more spacious events spaces. “It’s always like, you have your home and then you have all these support satellite locations. During the pandemic especially, when people say that they’re coming home, what they really mean is they’re going to sleep,” he added.
Consunji and VCDC offer something assuredly different at Vie. At 100 hectares, it is set to be home to more than 600 spacious villas perfect for the multigenerational Filipino family. Additionally, VCDC takes the fuss out of buying your own villa by packaging the house and lot together, including end-to-end service for sourcing anything else you might consider part and parcel of your home, such as your appliances, furniture, smart home devices, and solar panels to name a few. “It's all up to the homeowner how far [they] want to take it. Do you want satellite internet? Okay! Do you want to package the car with the [house], we can do that also,” Consunji said.
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Above Photo: VCDC website
Photo: VCDC website
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Customisable right down to the finishing touches, each villa immediately oozes natural charisma with its attractive brutalist façade, while the interior proves just as marvellous with its inviting open plan, stunning skylights, and lofty pocket gardens. Indeed, a refreshing approach to wellness and sustainability is cast through every inch of each property at Vie, also spanning its three luxurious entertainment and amenity hubs. Consunji shared, “Because [Vie is outside] the city and your normal creature conveniences aren’t exactly there, your home has to provide everything that you need. And if not the home, [then] at least the immediate development.”
See also: Home Tour: A Minimalist House Built With Eco-Conscious Materials
“We have the flexibility to cater to everybody’s more specific needs,” he added. “In a typical development, you have one clubhouse and that clubhouse kind of has to be everything. We were like, ‘we have the space, so why don’t we create three distinct clubhouses with three distinct personalities?’” Brandishing the same modern motif with large open spaces and windows for natural ventilation, an expansive Fitness Park is set to rise with a fully equipped gym, a basketball court, and an open studio ideal for yoga and dance classes on the second floor. Little ones will also have their own energising Kids Park, which will house colourful play pods, a swimming pool, an alfresco function space, and even a private cinema.
At present, however, only the first of the three amenity lots stands; the Main Clubhouse boasts its own pool and bar, a plush play area for the kids, and a tall glass-walled hall, all with interiors decorated by creative visionary Ria Prieto—her first, yet certainly not last, collaboration with VCDC. Sharing why it was integral to have longtime friend Prieto on board in this project, Consunji explained that they needed an experienced designer who could masterfully weave a variety of elements together and ultimately bring to life something that was both fresh and enduring.
Read more: Home Tour: A Peek Inside Ria Prieto's Chic Art-Filled Home
Photo: Courtesy of VCDC
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With this, the idea of creating a home and a community that lasts you a lifetime truly runs deep through the DNA of this next-generation neighbourhood. When asked whom he thinks the ideal resident of Vie is, Consunji simply revealed, “I design every place [in a way] that I would be happy to live in it. The ideal resident is me and like-minded individuals with the same values: driven, wants to achieve something, wants to build something for their family, appreciates their time and their time with the people around them. In a world where’s it all about self-affirmation, I think the ideal resident is a person who is more service-oriented. They like to give back, not just to themselves but to their families and to their community.”
