The addition of a quarter-mile long elevated park, with its multitude of dining, shopping and art elements, redefines and reinvigorates an existing shopping mall complex. The 160,000 SF Sky Garden serves as the front entrance to the second largest shopping mall in the Philippines, fourth largest in the world in terms of leasable area.
The deeply contoured landscape is situated above a ground-level parking structure and multi-modal bus transport center, linking discrete components of the complex with vistas of the city. The long, curvilinear form contains extensive covered pathways that weave alongside a river feature, amongst lush greenery, and in and out of berms containing shops and cafes embedded beneath the sculpted botanical landscape. Openings in the garden reveal entrances down into the mall, and tunnels and pathways guide guests between commercial destinations and the lagoon, aviary, and amphitheater attractions. Water in many forms – ponds, fountains, and a 25 meter wide waterfall flowing from the upper garden level to ground level - links the zones thematically and cools the entire Sky Garden. The broad waterfall has been located at the front of the complex, at the bend in the main road. This location provides a prime focal point for travelers in both directions, and strong noise mitigation from the road and bus depot for the visitors to the park and retail/dining destination above.
The mostly-native landscape is designed to thrive in its climate, subsisting primarily on rainwater runoff, which is stored on-site. Sculptural objects are interspersed throughout, and can be used as sitting furniture or as playground objects for children.
No longer just a mall, the Sky Garden, with its assortment of entertainment features, transforms the mall into a unique and lively destination for the entire city, serving as a model for future urban, cultural and economic development projects.
View Original