Project Title & Location
ARCADIA SPACE PROGRAM, PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN
Financial Center, MCCRRP, Metropolitan
Manila

Client
Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines
Makati

Project Completion
1979

Associated Firms
Urban Designers Associates, Inc.

Services Provided
- Urban Design
- Space Programming
- Development Planning

When the Construction Development Corporation of the Philippines opted to build a commercial complex at its property at the Financial Center, a mixed-use development option proved to be a viable opportunity. The necessity of preparing a development plan became imperative.

The tasks covered locational relationships between and among the various patronages of Arcadia. The study also included the influences that can be developed to create greater outlook within the community catchment of Arcadia.

The study commenced with on-the-spot surveys of existing shopping complexes in order to determine shop sizes and their number of attendant employees. Aspects analyzed covered the number of typical facilities, floor areas, and employee sizes for which ratios were computed. Thereafter, in a Delphi process, the arrays of shop and employee ratios were adopted.

Complementary studies included the following:
- Physical ambience: to know better the environment that is responsive to Filipino behavior.
- Activity patterns: to develop a construct of the 24-hour period that a typical employee goes through during the week and during weekends.

The development plan aims to provide the common venue for integrating the auxiliary functions that the financial institutions will not provide for the office personnel, residents and workers in the area. The buildings of the financial institutions shall be physically linked to Arcadia by pedestrian platforms, breezeways and corridors having key commercial activities. These activities related to trading, commerce and recreation including cultural activities and artistic endeavors shall be given locational priority.