An ambitious master plan in the Philippines envisions Manila’s most livable urban center, featuring a “green boulevard” with interconnected park spaces woven throughout.
Located within Manila’s central ring of business districts, the Bonifacio East master plan envisions a next-generation mixed-use community. Informed by a careful study of the local urban and natural context, the master plan connects with surrounding open spaces and optimizes development to create an inclusive, walkable, and green streetscape, complemented by convenient access to community, cultural, and retail amenities.
The proposed street network converges at the distinctive, tree-lined Green Boulevard, which provides an unprecedented level of accessibility and sustainable transit connections. Pocket parks, detention ponds, tree-shaded walkways, and arcades result in cooler pedestrian connections during Manila’s extreme weather, whilst supporting safe and active streetscapes. A vibrant, car-free retail walk populated by culture, dining, and play spaces is anchored by destinations for retail and events, providing a desirable address for multiple new offices, hotels, and apartments.
Constrained by building height limits, five mid-rise neighborhoods each support a unique range of commercial, recreational, community and residential programs, catering to a mix of market and affordable lifestyles. Two planned community parks accommodate flexible, year-round programming, and bring both nature and water to the heart of the district. The master plan, which progressed to a detailed stage with engineering and transport expertise, delivers coordinated strategies for land use, open space, infrastructure, and design to promote shared resources—optimizing the quality of place, while minimizing impact from traffic, waste, and flood risk.
The detailed master plan was approved by local authorities in 2021. It also sets out urban design guidelines to ensure a human-scaled approach in subsequent stages of development.
