New jewel rising in the metropolis
The Gokongweis’ vision for the Philippines’ capital region is simple: for it to have an architectural icon that could rival the sprawling Marina Bay Sands in Singapore and the Petronas Twin Towers in Malaysia, and with the same components of a mixed-use masterpiece.
With its empire of malls, office buildings and hotels, Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) already has the credentials to make this happen in around two years.
Lance Gokongwei, chair of RLC and the family conglomerate JG Summit Holdings Inc., himself christened The Jewel, the structural marvel that would soon define Metro Manila’s skyline.
First unveiled in January this year, The Jewel was envisioned to be exactly as its name suggests: to become a centerpiece that carries all the glitz and familiarity.
“When we were designing it, we thought that this had to be iconic. This has to be the Philippine symbol of architectural genius of our time,” Jericho Go, RLC senior vice president and business unit general manager of Robinsons Offices, tells reporters in a recent chat.
But for RLC to achieve a global feat, it needed to tap a designer with a multinational portfolio. In this case, the Gokongweis chose Broadway Malyan, an architecture company behind “experiential and attractive” retail and office environments in Dubai, Spain and the United Kingdom, among others.
According to Go, The Jewel will be composed of a mall, four office towers and a five-floor basement parking area. Its gross leasable area will total around 320,000 square meters, making it RLC’s biggest project in a single location.
The mall and one office tower will be the first to rise by 2027, while the entire project is slated for completion in 2030, Go says.
Staying true to the theme, The Jewel’s four office buildings will be named after different cuts of diamonds–Asscher, Trilliant, Marquise and Peruzzi–and sit atop the Robinsons mall, which will serve as its base.
Also adding to the project’s allure is its accessibility, particularly for employees of potential office tenants.
Located along Pioneer Street corner Edsa in Mandaluyong City, The Jewel will be connected to the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT) via Boni Station.
“When companies ask employees to return to work, the first and most problematic issue is how to get to work,” Go points out. “So they rely on public transportation, like the MRT.”
Should prospective employees also choose to stay in RLC’s upcoming high-end residential project just across The Jewel, Go notes that accessibility will not be a problem. The two-tower residential project, which has yet to be officially launched, will likewise be connected to the MRT.
Apart from accessibility, Go also stresses the importance of visibility: the structure’s position near the banks of the Pasig River means that no other high-rise will block it from view.
“When you are inside the jewel, once completed, you have an unobstructed view of the surrounding areas,” he says, referring to the central business districts of Makati City, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig and Ortigas in Pasig City.
“When you put your logo on [The Jewel], you take up the majority of the space, then you’re also effectively promoting your company,” Go adds.
