He added: “Twenty years ago, there was no BGC. Nobody wants to stay indoors for 24 hours.” If you provide shades and trees, they will find the outdoors more comfortable. They go to malls because there is a lack of open spaces or healthy environments for them to stay outside. “People want to be part of the transition between the outdoors and indoors. BGC is distinguished by its sidewalks, the trees, the arcades and outdoor cafés. Nonetheless, Chiao pointed out that BGC is still a benchmark in designing new cities in the Philippines: “It has proven to be one of the most enjoyable environments in Metro Manila. BGC was not built entirely according to our plan.” “The proposed supporting infrastructure to support the growing density was not implemented. “The infrastructure, the North Rail Transit, the peripheral parking buildings and skywalks didn’t happen. Hence, people would have alighted from the train or their vehicles and walked toward the city center.Ĭovered, elevated walkways were intended for people to cross buildings while being protected from the weather. Parking structures were positioned along BGC’s peripheries. In the ’90s, there were discussions about a rail transport along C-5 with a depot in BGC. Nobody wants to go outside!”īut then he explained: “People turn to shopping malls because there are no parks.”Ĭhiao, president of the international urban planning and engineering firm Aecom Asia-Pacific, worked with the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) and Ayala Land to develop BGC-with Bonifacio High Street (BHS) as the centerpiece.Īecom’s original design made provisions for the growing population density. Filipinos don’t need streets and sidewalks. He recalled being told: “You’re not from the Philippines. When he emphasized the vision of a walkable environment and a landscape-centered city, Chiao drew flak from the locals. In the mid-1990s, Taiwanese architect and urban designer Sean Chiao and his company were tasked to change the original master plan of Bonifacio Global City (BGC). Ayala Land, Aecom’s client, adopted the master planner’s template of providing more open spaces and using landscape to attract more people to the malls.
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