The New Manila Bay City of Pearl

Ho & Partners Architects Engineers & Development Consultants Limited, is one

of Hong Kong's major architectural practices and a strategic partner of HKTDC's Belt and

Road-related initiatives. “hpa” Architects Engineers & Development Consultants are a Hong

Kong based design firm providing spatial design (urban planning, architectural, landscape,

interior design etc) services and development consulting. “hpa” is one of the first generation

Chinese firms in Hong Kong, boasting a long history since establishment. While maintaining

their core values at heart, hpa continues to strive for the future and follow current trends.

Recently, they have become involved in the Belt and Road initiative and the realm of SMART

city planning.

Over the past years, hpa has been responsible for design a lot of development

projects, some of their projects are MTRC Airport Express Kowloon Station, Hong Kong

(sub-consultant to TFP), Mix-use project, 18 Blackfriars Road, London, United Kingdom,

Mix-use project, Alpha Square, London, United Kingdom and the Smart City, City of Pearl,

Manila, Philippines (COP) or what they called The New Manila Bay City of Pearl. With the

sustained growth of the Philippine economy, the local property market continues to attract

massive investments, and foreign players are not passing up on the opportunities the country has

to offer. But with the availability of developable land in Metro Manila becoming limited,

reclamation is starting to be a feasible option for developers to acquire land in the country’s

capital.

The Manila Bay area has had its share of reclaimed projects in the past, such as

the ongoing Aseana City development, but reclaiming land as a land banking option is still
gaining attention from developers. One promising reclamation project about to rise in the coming

years is The New Manila Bay City of Pearl, World’s Biggest ‘Smart City’ to rise in the

Philippines. The 407.42-hectare reclamation project will be funded and developed by a

consortium led by local company UAA Kinming Group Development Corp., along with a global

mix of partners from Hong Kong, China, Southeast Asia, Europe and other regions. With a

global roster undertaking the project as a “self-sufficient” city, Hong Kong-based architectural

firm Ho & Partners Architects, Engineers & Development Consultants Ltd. (HPA), the architect

of the New Manila Bay development, said the project will be an international destination. In

partnership with Gohan Concepts, a brand will be created that delivers well being and welcomes

everyone to the City of Pearl.

With construction of The New Manila Bay to span almost two decades, the

project will cater the future generation of Filipinos. The New Manila Bay City of Pearl is about

creating a hardware and software integration that allows international and local talents to grow

and assimilate, from financial, cultural, educational and medical sectors. It is the city that the

people of the Philippines truly deserve.

To elaborate more what are the key features of the said reclamation project, here

are the gathered information in points for the better comprehension of the project. The New

Manila Bay City of Pearl is set to be a “city within a city” in the heart of Manila, the project will

have a capacity of hosting close to a million people and offer residents everything within their

reach. The city will also feature a 8,000-seat multi-purpose stadium that can play host to

international sports and entertainment events, and a world-class exhibition convention center to

cater to regional and global conferences. It will also feature a central park integrated into an
18-hole golf course next to the river to provide optimal public space that connects with the

10-kilometer open waterfront promenade surrounding the island

The architectural design will incorporate Filipino details which originate from the

Pearl of the Orient, the Philippines’ symbol from half a century ago; a national pride that

encompasses its rich history, culture and its people’s enduring spirit. The shape and design of the

city feature a seven-island design, which symbolizes the expanding shell revealing the hidden

pearl in the middle. The central spine is incorporated into a solar canopy for shelter and

renewables. The canopy also serves as the stormwater recycling collection device, where the

recycled water will be used for cooling, irrigation and flushing in localized districts, to ensure

self-sufficient district sustainability. The project will be developed in seven phases, with the first

phase targeted to be completed over the next three years.

Reclamation activities have to undergo various studies and need approvals from

agencies like the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, and

Department of Public Works and Highways. While the National Economic and Development

Authority (NEDA) can still determine the social and economic impact of reclamation projects,

proposals get the final nod from the PRA due to the ​latest executive order by President Rodrigo

Duterte transferring such powers to the latter. There have been previous attempts to restore

Manila Bay to its former glory, but they never quite resulted in significant changes at least, until

now. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources recently started to enforce ​stricter

measures to rehabilitate the area​, resulting in orders calling for the closure of establishments like

the Manila Zoo and a shut-down of facilities at some well-loved restaurants. The success of the

cleanup may just be the first step in the development of the world's biggest "smart city," dubbed

the New Manila Bay City of Pearl.

along with residential, retail, entertainment, medical, education, sports, and other facilities. The

407-hectare project would, however, require some of Manila Bay's waters to be converted to

land, which is why the reclamation project has drawn flak from green groups in the Philippines.

This project could warn of the negative impacts of reclamation. It could possibly

be that garbage pollution is not the only thing that could destroy the coast of the city.

Reclamation, which is an irreversible project, poses a greater threat to the environment and the

livelihood of thousands of fisherfolk living in the coastal communities of Manila. Some

lawmakers have also cautioned against reclamation projects in Manila Bay, and expressed

concern that the rehabilitation being carried out may be a prelude to reclamation. But at some

point, if the requirements for environment protection and public health are met, the reclamation

projects would lead to more jobs and more income, thereby improving the country's economy.

The City of Pearl is said to have been designed with the goal to make it a smart

and sustainable city, utilizing green initiatives and features that generate renewable energy. It's

expected to be completed by 2035. The bay is in bad need of quick rehabilitation, a herculean

job that could be complicated by the massive reclamation projects being rushed. The iconic bay

is being smothered and pushed away to its final sunset, another victim not only of pollution, but

also of inordinate commercial reclamation masked as progress.

References:

Ben Kritz​, June 7, 2017, manilatimes, ​HK architects unveil ‘City of Pearl’ project for Manila

Gohan Concepts​ , ​Top [Link]​ ​case-study/the-new-manila-bay-city-of-pearl/

City of Pearl - 2016 Logo Development ​[Link]/gallery

[Link]/detail/-/blogs/china-s-biggest-philippine-project-will-be-this-massive-smart-
city-in-manila-bay

Kevyn Tapnio​, ​newsfeatures/the-latest-news-features, ​World's Biggest "Smart City" to Rise in

Hpahk, Introduction to the Practice of Ho & Partners Architects Engineers & Development
Consultants Limited, Background