SM Prime’s tallest skyscraper opens in Ortigas CBD
SM Prime Holdings Inc. (SM Prime) launched the tallest structure in its portfolio to-date — the 50-story Mega Tower located in the SM Megamall Complex in the landscape of the Ortigas Central Business District (CBD).
SM Offices collaborated with Miami-based architectural firm Arquitectonica, architect-on-record W.V. Coscolluela & Associates, and LEED (Leadership in Engineering and Environmental Design) Consultant C.A. Tatlonghari for the colossal structure’s innovative design and curvilinear sculptural form.
The Mega Tower launched by SM Prime Holdings Inc. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
The Mega Tower was built for efficient density planning, with a core workspace of 92,055 square meters and a minimum 2,000 square meters of typical leasable space per floor to cater to various business requirements in the Ortigas CBD.
Integrating green technology remained a priority for SM Prime as the developer worked toward reducing the environmental impact of its operations and leasable spaces. To this end, the Mega Tower structure will be awarded a LEED Gold certification.
“Together with our partners, the successful completion of Mega Tower is testament to SM Prime’s ability to deliver quality green workspaces to the market,” SM Prime Commercial Properties Group Vice President Alexis Ortiga said.
“We are proud to contribute to the Ortigas CBD skyline and to bring to market an environmentally friendly and premium development that promotes the well-being of our tenants,” said Ortega.
In line with this commitment, SM Offices employed low-carbon strategies for its office and commercial developments. Mega Tower is designed to utilize 14 percent less energy, built with a double-glazed facade that keeps heat out while its office spaces use energy-efficient air-conditioning equipment, lighting fixtures, lifts and escalators. The building also consumes 30 percent less water through the use of water efficient fixtures and non-potable water for its landscape irrigation system.
Mega Tower’s strategic location and proximity to SM Megamall, various institutional offices, public parks, and residential subdivisions and condominiums within the Ortigas CBD also makes the building exceptionally accessible. The structure also allocated parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, as well as access to alternative modes of transportation, including train, public buses and jeeps, and shuttle vans.
With state-of-the art features, the Mega Tower lives up to its image of being a premium office building while serving as a model of how future commercial developments should address social and environmental challenges.
