Former President Manuel L. Quezon envisioned Quezon City as a “working man’s paradise.”  This is the reason NCR’s largest city was the site of various community “projects” – from Projects 1 to 8.  Quezon wanted those who work in Manila to find homes in QC, where they can rest after a full day of work.

Aerial view of Vertis North

Seventy-seven years after QC’s foundation, the vision of Quezon is taken a notch higher.  Not only is the city the address of so many homeowners but also the site of various mixed-use developments of big-named developers. Residents do not even have to go far to find work, sometimes they just only need to walk a few steps.

For decades, the term “mixed-use” was utilized by developers to inform buyers that a home or unit they are purchasing is not only for residential use but may be for commercial use, too.  The lines are blurred between spaces for sleep and work, between play or pray, or between relaxing and brainstorming.

Zitan

The most prominent reason why mixed-use buildings are everywhere in the metro is the fact that the traffic situation is not getting any better – cars are doubling or tripling on roads that are not even expanding.  Moving from Makati to Quezon City takes over an hour on a busy day (or multiple hours during the past holiday season) when it should only be just a 20-minute drive.

Considering this, developers have encouraged the rise of SOHO or the “small office/ home office” concept. With their buildings equipped with Internet fiber connections, working at home suddenly seems possible. Online conferencing is doable and online selling becomes a lucrative endeavor.

As the building is mixed-use, “everything” a resident needs is just a few steps – or an elevator ride – away.

For relaxation, there’s the roof deck; for personal needs, there is a laundry, a coffee shop, a courier, a clinic at the ground level.  Some buildings even have a two- or three-floor retail area where various restaurants and shops are located.

For business requirements, the mixed-use building even has spaces such as conference rooms, audio-visual rooms, even a private theater.

Major developers in our country such as SMDC, Robinsons, Rockwell and Megaworld have espoused mixed-use projects through the years, combining the best of residential living with recreation through their malls.

Vantage

Case in point, SM’s Jazz Residences in Makati or its Sun Residences in Welcome Rotonda have their own commercial area in the ground floor, like a mini-mall where coffee shops, restaurants, supermarket, hardware store, health and spa, etc. are located. Condo-dwellers just have to go down to get anything fixed or bought.

This is also similar with Robinsons Magnolia Residences which stands beside a mall.  Residents can lessen (or totally eliminate) the use of cars as everything they would possibly need – even to watch a movie – is just a few steps away.

In 2016, more Filipinos found the practicality of the mixed-use projects to their liking.  In fact, this positive response encouraged developers as they line up attractive projects that combine not only ideal locations but also the “accessibility” to have anything you want immediately.

Some of these projects include Rockwell Primaries’ The Vantage at Kapitolyo in Pasig, a high-rise condominium near food hubs. But if you do not want to go far, it has a two-storey retail area where you can eat, shop, or meet friends.

There is also Greenfield’s Zitan Residences which is directly connected to the MRT and is marketed as a “smart” condo as it “connects residents to the world with unparalleled speed through its technologically advanced fiber optic infrastructure.” Surrounding the property is a big patch of green which comes alive with weekend markets and events.

Quezon City, like what we mentioned earlier, is not far behind. Some of the biggest mixed-use projects are underway such as an area developed by Ayala Land dubbed as QC’s rising business district. Vertis North is a 29-hectare masterplanned development featuring a park, residential buildings, retail and dining block, a mall, a 438-room hotel, BPO-ready buildings, and more.

With all the conveniences of living “in a city within a city”, a resident does not even have to stay in traffic for an excruciating time or even have to shell out more money for gasoline or toll expenses.

Mixed-use living becomes a more practical lifestyle where you can work and rest in the same spot. For more “life”, you don’t need a car. You just have to walk – or take an elevator ride.