Modern Superior

Replete with just about everything one might want in their dream house, this contemporary oasis in the city by architect and interior designer Ed Calma is the perfect family abode

- MJ Jose

Many aspire to someday build and live in their dream home. Always a symbol of hard work, it is an indication of moving up in the world and moving on with life. This, among other things, was what these Urdaneta Village residents had in mind when they approached architect-interior designer Ed Calma to help design and decorate their new home. “Our kids were growing up, and we needed more space,” shares the lady of the house. “We came to Ed because we like what he does—and we like him. That was one of the most important things I was taking into consideration before starting this project because everything comes easier when you are dealing with someone you work well with.”

The project took four and a half years to complete, as they had to tear down their old house (“A starter home that served us very well for 12 years,” says the gentleman of the house) to build the new one in its place. The site was a challenge to work with, but Calma masterfully dealt with it by creating separate structures in lieu of a singular building. From the exterior, this is not at all evident; the cleverness of the design is easier understood when seen from the inside. Calma’s intention? To be able to accommodate the pool and the garden as required by the homeowners, as well as to make the scale of things more comfortable. They’d had to flip over the original orientation of the design, too, at the suggestion of the Feng Shui consultant.