Named after the lady of the house, Zsa Zsa Padilla and Conrad Onglao’s Casa Esperanza in Lucban, Quezon is a testament to the philosophy of allowing nature to speak for itself
A long, yet scenic, drive finds you in the heart of historic Quezon province. Here, nestled between emerald rice paddies and swaying coconut trees, is the expansive Casa Esperanza, the weekend home and lovechild of famed architect Conrad Onglao and partner, the “Divine Diva”, singer Zsa Zsa Padilla. “When we purchased this place, nobody really wanted it because the terrain was not flat and very difficult for agriculture,” explains Onglao. “But that’s precisely why we loved it. The gentle rolling slopes, the forest—we really wanted to embrace the natural landscape and build around it.”
The result is a spectacular estate comprising several structures: the main house with a living, kitchen and dining area; three casitas with their own luxurious bathrooms; a service area and garage; a greenhouse and the stunning infinity pool that overlooks a man-made pond and fountain canopied by lush foliage. All of which are designed to bring the outside in with large glass windows and sliding doors. “Conrad just wanted the garden and greenery to be the main highlight of the décor,” explains Padilla.
Originally intent on building a beach house, the couple instead fell in love with nature in this property. “We kept most of the trees of the forest here and only took down what we needed to. In some cases, we moved trees and planted many, many more,” explains Onglao. “It really is wild here!” declares his partner, laughingly. “We’ve found so many snakes! And once there was a frog in the bedroom that kept Conrad up all night. And don’t even get me started on the spiders! But we love it; it’s so peaceful and so special.”
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