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Collection by Emily Nonko

Philippe Starck in the Philippines

What do you get when you take a French designer and a British real estate guru and give them a piece of land in a booming residential pocket of Manila, the Philippines? A glassy, 56-story residential tower named after a waterfall. French designer Philippe Starck teamed up with the British developer John Hitchcox to build the fifth of six residential buildings to rise in the Hitchcox's massive, 250,000-square-foot Mandaluyong city project. Called the Acqua Private Residences, each building is named after an iconic waterfall from somewhere in the world: Niagara, Sutherland, Dettifoss, Livingstone, and the newest project, Acqua Iguazu. These luxury developments are among the first in Southeast Asia and have attracted both local buyers and foreign investors from elsewhere in Asia, the Middle East, the United States, and Europe. The development looks down on the Pasig river and is situated between Mandaluyong, a commercial city known for its shopping malls, and Makati, the business district of Manila.

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The building's interiors and three-story rooftop deck will distinguish it from its peers.
The building's interiors and three-story rooftop deck will distinguish it from its peers.
The Cielo Skydeck located 50 stories up will have a swimming pool (with, of course, a waterfall), a cocktail bar, dining area, an indoor and outdoor library, and a movie room. Starck decorated the outdoor communal spaces minimally, with his signature translucent Ghost chairs dotting the pool deck.
The Cielo Skydeck located 50 stories up will have a swimming pool (with, of course, a waterfall), a cocktail bar, dining area, an indoor and outdoor library, and a movie room. Starck decorated the outdoor communal spaces minimally, with his signature translucent Ghost chairs dotting the pool deck.
This is the Wonder Bar and Library at the Cielo skydeck, where residents can either check out their favorite novel amongst the clouds, catch up on the day’s news, or surf the web with high speed broadband.
This is the Wonder Bar and Library at the Cielo skydeck, where residents can either check out their favorite novel amongst the clouds, catch up on the day’s news, or surf the web with high speed broadband.
There are also a minimalist touches in the narrow building lobby. The most striking element of the lobby will be its ceiling, which will feature a quote from the French book The Little Prince.
There are also a minimalist touches in the narrow building lobby. The most striking element of the lobby will be its ceiling, which will feature a quote from the French book The Little Prince.
The 400 apartment units, blank canvases to future residents, boast high ceilings and full-length glass windows.
The 400 apartment units, blank canvases to future residents, boast high ceilings and full-length glass windows.
One– to three-bedrooms units will range from 280 to 1,238 square feet. The target sales revenue for this building alone is as much as $85 million.
One– to three-bedrooms units will range from 280 to 1,238 square feet. The target sales revenue for this building alone is as much as $85 million.
Once this entire six building project is complete, 70 percent of the property will remain open space, with trails, gardens, ponds, and waterfalls. That's the theme Starck will carry vertically, where the glass walls, open communal spaces, and nature elements will make for a unique residency in the heart of Manila.
Once this entire six building project is complete, 70 percent of the property will remain open space, with trails, gardens, ponds, and waterfalls. That's the theme Starck will carry vertically, where the glass walls, open communal spaces, and nature elements will make for a unique residency in the heart of Manila.