One Kalinisan was an invited competition located in Manila in the Bagumbayan district of the city, nestled alongside the Markina River. Our proposals aligned with the Parklinks Masterplan development, creating a new expression of high-density living in the city and rejuvenating the area, cultivating a more engaging urban environment.
The proposed development was a 50-storey block, comprising a 36-storey residential building with 1,674 apartments as a mix of studio, one- and two-bedroom apartments. The residences are accompanied by 640 car parking spaces within a 10-storey podium, and 4 storeys of communal facilities in between.
Inspired by the vision of creating a ‘city in a garden’, the concept began with a bold, unifying choice: merging two twin towers into a single, cohesive form. The resulting design is a unique block with a U-shape footprint, creating a more efficient building. As a result, the narrow openings between the two buildings were transformed into a series of city-scale perforations at different levels in the building, creating a dynamic composition that offers open outdoor spaces for residents at all levels, and frames different views of the city.
The proposal drew inspiration from the ancient rock formations that form part of the Philippine seascape. The residential block appears as a carved monolithic rock floating over a soft landscaped podium with cascading greenery and offset planters. We designed the building to be oriented to have direct views towards the Central Luzon Mountains, the cityscape of Manila, and the sea.
The centrepiece of the courtyard included a green plateau to create a more intimate and tranquil atmosphere atop the podium, a space self-protected from the noise of the city whilst offering panoramic views.
The evolved massing allowed the scheme to accommodate a series of 4-storey sky gardens to articulate the form and provide it with a unique identity. The greenery and colour from the Plateau are threaded upwards and around the courtyard through a series of recessed terraces serving as amenity spaces. The rich materiality and pixelated composition was designed to complement the sky gardens, enlivening the space with the reflections and shades of the local landscape.
The scheme aimed to promote new ways of living: compact living units in a luxurious condominium with communal facilities. Multiple shared amenity spaces were included on the podium roof and within the sky gardens, including infinity swimming pools, gym, residents’ lounge, health and wellbeing areas, private dining and play areas for children.
The proposed outer facing perimeter façade adopted a more neutral approach and relied on a series of projecting balconies to cast dynamic shadows, endowing the building with dynamic appearance throughout the day. Both façades were designed in a modular UHPC system, ensuring durability and aesthetic continuity.