A Union of Functions

Representing the first phase in a long term development for the northeastern end of the bustling Makati Business District, Ayala North Exchange was designed to integrate with the existing urban context while anticipating future plans for the district such as subway transportation integration.
The scheme combines the functions of retail, work, and hospitality in one flagship mixed-use development within the Makati CBD. One tower is tailored to the needs of a BPO, while the taller one is split halfway in height to house a corporate headquarters below and a serviced apartment establishment above. The overall design integrates these diverse programs onto an already thronging site by means of a multi-level retail podium that mediates between the restricted-access towers and the highly accessible location.

The podium maximizes retail opportunities by linking to the elevated walkway that leads to Ayala Center and the rest of the CBD. Garden features on the outdoor podium areas create welcome breathing space for public enjoyment at this end of the congested business thoroughfare. As the new development was erected on a former parking lot, the number of parking slots to have been lost was added to the total of parking spaces required by the building code.

The Aidea project team, in collaboration with foreign firm Architecture International, orchestrated all coordination efforts among the developer’s hotel, BPO, office, and retail departments to arrive at a configuration that effectively resolves issues of zoning, access, and security that run concurrently in a development of this nature. Aidea built a VDC model as a platform for co-creation and to dovetail all the expertise from the international project team and consultants. The comprehensive model likewise served as a vital tool for integrating the complex assembly of programs into one functionally cohesive structure.