01
Designed for the Guest
We consider arrival, movement, privacy, comfort, views, social spaces, and the moments people will remember.
Building one
shouldn’t feel overwhelming.
You are not just building a beautiful property. You are putting real money into a place that needs to work for you,
your guests, and your investment.
Here is what changes when the right design team carries those decisions with you.
Going it alone
- What if I spend millions building this property and guests still do not book it?
- What if we start construction, then realize halfway through that the actual cost is far beyond my budget?
- What if I am building the wrong concept for this land, location, or market?
- What if delays, revisions, and permit issues keep pushing back opening day while my investment sits unfinished?
- What if the finished property does not look or perform the way I imagined because the contractor had to guess?
- What if we create something beautiful, but it still feels like every other resort or vacation rental and cannot command a premium rate?
Building with Ecoist
- We study the site, market, target guest, and property positioning before we design, so every major decision starts with a clear direction.
- We design with your investment in mind, aligning the scope, priorities, and budget early before expensive decisions reach construction.
- We determine what the property needs to become based on the land, the guest experience, your goals, and how you intend the property to perform.
- Architecture, engineering, permits, and construction information are coordinated early to reduce avoidable revisions and delays later.
- Detailed, builder friendly drawings and specifications give your construction team clearer instructions, so there is less room for guessing on site.
- We intentionally design memorable spaces, amenities, and guest experiences that give your property a reason to be chosen beyond price alone.
Featured project
It can go like this.
Casa Cristina.
An enhancement of an existing beachfront vacation house, designed as a family centred private retreat that turns the property into a more complete and memorable destination.
The brief was to hold three generations at once. We added guest accommodation, a central courtyard pool deck, an open receiving area, a barkada room, an entertainment lounge, outdoor showers, and beachfront alfresco spaces, planned to support both quiet family stays and lively group vacations.
LocationCalatagan, Batangas
Floor area300 sqm
Land size400 sqm
Design styleModern tropical
Why Ecoist
Because we think
beyond
the building.
Good design is not only about creating something beautiful. It is about understanding how every decision affects the people, the property, and the experience.
Schedule a consultation02
Designed for the Site
Sunlight, wind, climate, landscape, orientation, and views become part of the design process.
03
Designed for the Value
For income generating properties, we consider marketability, spatial efficiency, guest appeal, and how design decisions support the property’s potential.
04
Designed to be Built
Our ideas are translated into coordinated drawings and documents that help contractors understand how the design should come together.
Project roadmap
And this is how your
project
actually goes.
Three phases carry a project from the first site study to the
day we hand it over. Nine stages sit inside them.
Design development phase
01
Design
We gather site data, clarify your goals, and explore ideas with you, then translate the approved concept into detailed Architectural Plans and Specifications.
Week 2 to 15.
Engineering and pre construction
02
Refine
Subdivision Admin approval first, then the engineering and interior team produce the comprehensive engineering plans and the full Construction Binder, ready for the Office of the Building Official.
Construction stage
03
Build
We secure the building permit, your contractor or ours carries out the work with the architect quality checking on site, then we punch list and hand over together.
What we offer
From vision to
thoughtful,
buildable design.
We provide integrated design services that help shape your project from early ideas to detailed documentation, coordination, and execution support.
Architectural design
Site responsive architecture for vacation homes, private resorts, villas, hospitality spaces, and leisure properties.
Interior design
Thoughtful interiors designed around comfort, function, atmosphere, and the overall experience of the space.
Bespoke furniture
Custom furniture pieces designed specifically for the project to create a more cohesive and distinctive environment.
Engineering coordination
Coordination with structural, electrical, plumbing, and other engineering consultants to help ensure the design is technically aligned and ready for the next stage.
Design consultancy
Professional design guidance for clients who need expert input on planning, design direction, space improvement, material decisions, or project strategy.
Remote design support
Flexible design support for clients, contractors, developers, and partner firms who need architectural and design services remotely.
Ecoist Villas
Before you commit,
see the numbers.
Most studios show you a design and talk about cost later. We publish ours. Three villa concepts with build cost, furnishing, total investment, and what each returns at 70, 80, and 90 percent occupancy.
Open the villa calculatorPHP
5.9M
5.9M
Modern Bahay Kubo
PHP
9.8M
9.8M
Contemporary Balay
PHP
11.4M
11.4M
Eco Resort
Total investment including construction, architecture and engineering, and furnishing. Land not included.
Results
We have been doing
this
for ten years.
Projects built here, projects designed from here for owners abroad, and every service a property needs
held under one studio.
10+
Years in practice
Ten years of designing homes, villas, resorts, and interiors as a licensed Philippine architect.
8
Homes delivered remotely
Designed and delivered for clients in the United States in under a year, without a site visit. Distance is not a limitation on the work.
6
Services under one studio
Architecture, interiors, furniture, engineering coordination, consultancy, and remote support, so decisions do not fall between consultants.
Meet the founder
The architect
behind it all,
Jolina Allanne
Garcia.
I am a licensed Philippine architect and the Principal Architect of Ecoist Architect. I design resort inspired homes, private villas, and boutique hospitality spaces for owners who want a property that is beautiful to look at and sound to invest in.
My work is built on three values, and only three. Excellence, doing the work with care, quality, and discipline. Integrity, telling you what a project will really take. Grace, treating every client and every collaborator with warmth.
Together with our designers, consultants, and engineering partners, I guide clients through the whole architectural journey, from the first conversation about a piece of land to the drawings your builder works from.
It starts with
one conversation.
An hour with the architect who will actually run your project.
We look at your lot, your goals, and your budget, and you leave knowing whether the project makes sense and what it would take.
If we are not the right studio for it, we will say so in that hour rather than three months in.
One hour with Architect
Jolina Allanne Garcia
- Length
- 60 minutes
- Where
- Zoom, or the Ortigas studio
- Professional fee
- PHP 1,000, credited in full against your design contract
- Hours
- 8am to 5pm, Philippine time
- Overseas clients
- Welcome, the whole process runs online
The questions owners
usually ask.
Yes. We offer remote design support and online consultations. We can discuss how communication, site information, and local coordination will work for your project.
The initial consultation is PHP 1,000 for 60 minutes, credited in full against your design contract. Design fees depend on the project and agreed scope and will be set out in your proposal.
We begin with your site, goals, intended guests, and budget. The consultation helps identify what information and further studies are needed to assess the property.
Engineering coordination and permit documentation are part of the project roadmap. The specific responsibilities, submissions, and professional scope will be confirmed in your proposal.
The roadmap shows design work in weeks 2 to 15. The actual programme depends on project scope, available site information, approvals, and feedback, and should be confirmed for your project.
We design vacation homes, private villas, resorts, and hospitality spaces, with attention to the guest experience, practical operations, and property positioning.
Prepare your lot location, any available survey or plans, photos, goals, budget, and intended timeline. Bring reference images or other information you would like us to consider.
The design process develops coordinated drawings and specifications to communicate the project to the construction team. The drawing package and construction-stage support are confirmed in the agreed scope.