It’s quite unimaginable to think that the Rockwell Center we know—a bustling enclave thriving in the dynamic pace of today’s metropolitan lifestyle—was once the site of a decommissioned power plant and a manufacturing facility.
Bearing one of the most coveted addresses today, this 19.1-hectare prime parcel of land outside the Makati central business district is now home to an array of curated developments: exclusive residential spaces; the sophisticated Power Plant Mall; curated lifestyle hubs; Aruga Serviced Apartments; and premium office spaces such as 8 Rockwell.
Just a cursory look at the towering landmarks and one cannot help but be awed as to how Rockwell Center has since changed the Makati skyline.
Beginnings
The flagship project of Rockwell was built from the vision and guidance of the Lopez clan patriarch, Eugenio “Geny” Lopez, while company president Nestor J. Padilla took the helm and has since been hands-on in the creation and development of Rockwell Center. Also on board were architectural firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill who carried out the design under the direction of former design partner Larry Oltmanns, and other renowned Filipino designers and architects.
Amid the Asian Financial Crisis, the development of Rockwell Center began in 1998.
Two years later, Rockwell first opened its doors in December 2000, with the pioneer of premium and curated retail establishments and the personification of the Rockwell lifestyle still embodied today: the Power Plant Mall, which offered an excellent selection of homegrown and international options to an increasingly discerning market.
Since then, Rockwell Center continued to grow as a community, setting the gold standard for upscale residential developments with the Rizal Tower, Luna Gardens, Amorsolo Square, Hidalgo Place, Edades Tower, Joya Loft and Towers, One Rockwell, The Manansala, Edades Suites, and more recently, The Proscenium at Rockwell, forever changing the Rockwell skyline.
With the rise of these highly coveted residential addresses also came the completion of the prestigious Ateneo Graduate School of Business, prime office buildings, the Aruga Serviced Apartments and other pocket lifestyle hubs within the self-sustaining community.
Raising the bar
The success of Rockwell Center, which is now being replicated within and outside Metro Manila, is by no means a mere chance. Since its inception in 1995, Rockwell continues to be on the move in innovating concepts and raising the bar to redefine comfort, elegance and exclusivity for the discerning few.
Apart from providing premium residential, commercial, hotel and office spaces, Rockwell took pride and importance in creating a safe and exclusive Rockwell Center where residents are assured of order and round-the-clock security. It also made a mark by giving importance to its landscape architecture and open spaces that despite being fully built-up, still offers lush greenery and landscaped decks across the community. Here, Rockwell Center introduced the pioneering concept of “good green space” and “spill out retail dining”.
It’s heartening to see how Rockwell Center’s humble beginnings have evolved over the years to now to become a home and lifestyle haven for residents and patrons—showcasing a prime example of what it’s like to live in a curated community where everything needed is a stone’s throw away, while managing to preserve its reputation of being a premium brand that delivers on both fronts: tangible with finishes and amenities, and intangible delightful experiences that deliver the Rockwell lifestyle.
With its highly vibrant and thriving landscape, this decommissioned power plant site now serves as a fitting symbol of innovation and exclusivity in the modern times.