Apart from a prime name in malls experience in the Philippines, SM Prime Holdings, Inc., the property development arm of magnate Henry Sy, Sr., is also a prime mover of  “iconic” mall designs.

The company, after announcing commitment to spend P330 billion in the next three years to further expand its property portfolio, said it is set to launch “more architecturally-designed shopping malls with everything under one room.”

With its 50  strategically- located malls around the country, SM Prime said it “continues to give consumers and businesses even bigger world-class venues for shopping, entertainment, and recreation.”

In 2014, SM Supermalls launched its 49th and 50th malls: SM City Cauayan in Isabela, Cagayan Valley, and SM Center Angono in Rizal, respectively.

Opened to a bustling crow in May 2014, SM City Cauayan gives the city a taste of urban shopping, dining, and entertainment with six digital cinemas and SM’s signature range of international and local bands.

SM Center Angono, the group’s third mall in Rizal province, opened its doors to the public on November 2014.

“With its brightly colored art pylons, the mall creates visual interest in the landscape while providing community recreation and shopping in the Philippines’ art capital,” SM Prime said.

The company also redeveloped last year SM City Lipa, SM City Bacolod, and SM City Baliwag. The year also saw the opening of SM City Pampanga’s Skyranch, and the Mega Fashion Hall — SM Megamall’s new “game-changing” wing that houses the world’s most popular brands including the Philippine flagship store of Swedish retailer H&M, Zara, Uniqlo, and Crate and Barrel.

This year, SM Prime is looking to open four new SM Supermalls — SM City San Mateo, SM City Cabanatuan, SM Center Sangandaan, and SM Seaside City Cebu. It will also be relaunching SM Megacenter Cabanatuan.

“In these areas, the local communities are eager to welcome a new experience in urban living,” it said.

“Offering fresh lifestyle options in food, fashion, entertainment, and more, SM Prime continues to serve every community with the mission of servicing these growing communities, while still committed to sustainability and environmental responsibility,” it added.

SM Seaside City Cebu, located within the SM Seaside Complex in the South Road Properties (SRP) in Cebu City, will be the biggest and will be the first of its kind urban development in the SRP.

“The lifestyle city has been designed by an international architecture, interior design, and planning firm. SM Seaside City Cebu promises to revolutionize the malling experience not only in Cebu, but in the whole Southern portion of the Philippines,” SM Prime said.

“It’s a majestic cityscape, with its nautilus-inspired design of concentric arcs form a central multi-purpose space. Among its attractions, it boasts of a 150-meter viewing tower, which offers a ‘sensational’ panoramic view of the entire city of Cebu while serving as new landmark for the Queen City of the South,” it added.

SM Seaside Complex will have a mall, offices, residential buildings, a five-star hotel, conference and convention centers. It will feature “The Cube,” a steel sculpture that symbolizes strength, stability, and SM’s continued commitment ot excellence. The development is expected to transform the city’s landscape when it opens in 2015.

On Tuesday, company officials said capex for the next four years or until 2018 amounts to P330 billion, P80 billion of which will be spent in this year to support aggressive expansion program.

This year, the company will increase by 12 percent its mall space in the Philippines to bring its total to 7.3 million square meters, and intends to launch five high rise residential projects with at least 11,000 units.

Also this year, SM Prime will open an office building on its Mall of Asia Complex property bringing the company’s total office portfolio to five.

SM Prime allocated 70 percent of its capital expenditure for this year for project developments while the rest is for land banking.

This year, SM Prime said mall expansions in the Philippines are geared towards the provincial areas.

SM Prime’s residential unit will launch at least five new high rise condominiums with about 11,000 units in total in the cities of Mandaluyong, Quezon City, Taguig and Tagaytay and at the MOA Complex.

SM Prime will also add new towers in five existing projects that will be built to accommodate the increasing demand for housing by most Filipino households and young professionals.

The Commercial Property Group of SM Prime meanwhile will continue to build more  facilities for the business process outsourcing companies.

This year, the 129,000 square meter FiveE-com Center will be ready for occupancy.