On Friday, February 19th in the Philippines (or Thursday evening, for participants in New York), SOM joined Cebu Landmasters, Inc. (CLI) for a virtual launch event to celebrate the reveal of Masters Tower Cebu in Cebu, the Philippines. The event opened with a speech by Jose Franco B. Soberano, Chairman, President, and CEO of CLI. SOM Design Associate Director Nicolas Medrano, SOM Project Manager Shilpa Patel, and other members of SOM project team revealed the design—they explained the concept in a video with renderings and animations, followed by additional live and pre-recorded presentations. The launch wrapped up with a Q&A. Guests included CLI’s partners, government officials, and media representatives.
Designed by SOM in partnership with local architecture firm GF & Partners Architects, the 172-meter-tall Masters Tower Cebu will be the tallest hotel and office tower in Cebu. It will include prime office and retail space, and will house Sofitel Cebu City, a 5-star hotel. It is set to open in 2025.
The design for the tower draws on Cebu’s long tradition of wood craftsmanship: its exterior is composed of glass and aluminum that is painted to resemble a light, textured wood, and its interior features distinctive wooden design elements that add a layer of warmth and tactility. Terrace gardens with native flora rise up all four corners of the building to provide places of respite for tenants on every floor, as well as a food source for the tower’s restaurants. The design prioritizes energy efficiency—for example, aluminum screens on the facade passively reduce heat gain while allowing for spectacular views of the surrounding ocean and mountains. The top of the tower, which features programmable LED lighting, is conceived as a crown for Cebu, known as the “Queen City of the South.”
Video by Team Collective.