When the Santa Ana Race Track in Manila was relocated to a suburban location, this centrally located site was to be redeveloped. The site occupies 25 hectares along the southern bank of the Pasig River. It benefits from level ground and a prime location, less than 2 km from the center of Makati. The main frontage faces small-scale commercial establishments. While traffic is limited by the size of adjacent roads, the site is on the route of a planned extension of Ayala Avenue, and a bridge across the Pasig River. Beyond the site, to the south, east, and west are low-rise residential neighborhoods.

The team developed an introverted massing concept for the redevelopment focused on a central waterway. Originally the plan was conceived of as a shophouse-style community, surrounding an inlet of the Pasig river. Although this can be considered more in-line with the traditional Southeast Asian retail model, the cost of a such a large scale land redevelopment required a large group of investors who were unlikely to make significant returns on such a traditional model. Moreover, the goal was also to create a place that differentiates itself from other retail destinations. 

Large-scale malls were then becoming increasingly popular in the Manila area, if for no other reason that they provide a climate controlled and secure environment that is a destination for all sorts of people and activities. In the end, we sought to modify the traditional “mall” typology to as to achieve the scale relationships found in traditional retail environments while retaining the more positive aspects of a large- scale controlled environment. Studies involving retail experts resulted in the Waterway Marketplace idea, with separate water circulation (the Pasig River is heavily polluted) and a full grade separation from the street level. The final design arose from the establishment of various nodes, axes, gateways, view corridors, and landmarks which aim to create an interesting environment, focused on the pedestrian experience, which blends well into the site context. Precedents for the design came from the Singapore Boat Quay, the San Antonio Riverwalk, and an older downtown area now occupied by Manila’s Chinatown which has a network of waterways and retail.

The land was ultimately redeveloped much later according to a slightly different plan that followed many of the principles outlined here (Circuit Makati).

Brian Jennett was involved in this effort while employed at HOK Hong Kong.