The future of office spaces at SM Prime E-Com Centers

The current trend in construction focuses on the creation of a complete environment that concentrates all the necessities of businesses in one complex. By providing office workers with opportunities for their daily needs for food and supplies, a community that is self-sustaining and reduces the stresses associated with completing errands can be created. This kind of space is conducive to a harmonious environment for work that also supports the personal requirements of employees.

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Putting together this kind of working environment is foremost in the development of Five E-Com Center, SM Prime’s latest office building development that targets the demands of technology-based industries and business process outsourcing companies. Located at the Mall of Asia complex in Pasay City, it combines facilities that combine the best in terms of work and recreation, a planned urban design that is becoming the hallmark of all SM Prime developments.

SM Prime’s Commercial Properties Group (CPG) Senior Vice President David Rafael said the company has been active in the construction of its E-Com (e-commerce) centers to serve the growing demand for office space.

“Our commitment to contribute to the growth of our economy is firm, so much so that we are investing heavily on infrastructure to cater to the demand of the BPO sector, which is currently on a winning streak,” he said.

Five E-Com Center is the third in a planned five-building development under the E-Com brand in the north sector of Mall of Asia complex. Two E-Com centers had been opened in the past, namely One E-Com Center in 2008 and Two E-Com Center in 2012. Two more E-Com centers are set to be opened in 2017 and 2019.

The development of five E-Com centers at Mall of Asia is consistent with the positive growth of the BPO industry in the country.

The local BPO industry continued to shine last year, recording a stellar 19-percent growth in revenues to $18.4 billion, fuelled by the rising demand for outsourced services from the healthcare information management, gaming and animation, and global in-house center segments. Also, a total of 1.03 million outsourced professionals were employed in 2014. This year, the industry is expected to hit $21.3 billion in revenues, and employ a total of 1.18 million agents.

“This is a clear sign that more and more players will be coming into the Philippines. These companies would require office spaces in prime and strategic locations such as the MOA Complex,” Rafael said.

Five E-Com Center is a 15-level office building with a gross floor area of 126,907 square meters and a leasable area of approximately 88,000 square meters. It was designed by the Miami-based architectural company Arquitectonica. It has a modern design that is unique among the different E-Com buildings.

Apart from office spaces, Five E-Com Center has a podium area on the fourth level to be known as Prism Plaza that will combine a landscaped deck and pond and retail and office spaces. The building also faces E-Com Urban Park to its east, a tranquil oasis where tenants can unwind at the end of the day.

This early, Five E-Com Center boasts a number of high-profile tenants including OOCL Logistics, Tupperware, Via Philippines (formerly Flight Raja), Klaveness Shore Services Inc., Telstra and Business Switch.

Another building that will become a landmark in design is the nearby Three E-Com Center, which is currently under construction. It will be operational by 2017.

The 16-story Three E-Com Center has an iconic design that is both an engineering and design marvel. Patterned after the Grand Canyon, it combines water and lighting features that will set the building apart from other buildings in the bay area.

The fifth level podium area is surrounded by a water feature that mimics the movement of a river that empties into fountains at opposite ends of the building. Colored LED lights arranged on the building’s façade simulate a starry night in the evening.

Areas on the podium level shall be leased out to dining establishments to provide office workers a suitable entertainment area during their breaks within the day. At the ground level, spaces will be made available to a variety of utilities and shops to service the needs of workers.

Construction of the building follows LEED (Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design) Gold standards, which mandate that it complies with international standards of green architecture, construction methodologies and resource-efficient operations.

Another E-Com center, Four E-Com Center, is under development and is scheduled to be operational by 2019.

The E-Com centers exist within the complete township of Mall of Asia complex. They are just a stone’s throw away from Mall of Asia, which has the largest retail space in the country; SMX Convention Center and SM Arena, which area venues for exhibits, conferences and concerts; the Shrine of Jesus, The Way, The Truth and The Life, among others. Other nearby developments that complement the E-Com centers are Microtel Hotel and the soon-to-open Conrad Hotel.

Apart from its location, the E-Com centers have 24-hour security and complete utilities and power. All the centers are connected by bridgeways to facilitate easy movement from one building to another.

The E-Com centers are accessible via public transportation routes, such as the MRT, LRT and buses that traverse EDSA. A ferry terminal in MOAC also provides future opportunities for sea travel. It is also only a few minutes away from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Five E-Com joins the company’s portfolio of properties, which include: Two E-Com Center, SM Makati Cyber One, SM Makati Cyber Two, SM Cyber Baguio and SM Cyber West in Quezon City.

Soon, more E-Com Centers will rise at the Mall of Asia Complex, namely: Three E-Com, which is is currently being constructed (target date of completion is 2017), and Four E-Com, which is scheduled for ground breaking in 4^th Quarter 2015.