20 Architectural Marvels of Contemporary Philippines

Present-day modern buildings and structures have left us in awe of their avant-garde designs. As innovation and technology push Filipino architects to their limits, we list 20 of our favourite edifices from contemporary times and give credit to the amazing designers and engineers who have shaped the Philippine skyscape to its present look.

THE PODIUM WEST TOWER: Designed by Arquitectonica and completed in 2019 | Photo: denjinman / Mi Community

PHILIPPINE BANK OF COMMUNICATION (PBCOM) TOWER: Designed by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill LLP and completed in 2000 | Photo: Campbell & Associates, Inc.

THE ENTERPRISE CENTRE: Completed in 1999, it was designed by Wong & Tung International Limited - Hong Kong, in collaboration with ARADS & Associates - Manila | Photo: RBK Realty

THE GRAMERCY RESIDENCES: Planned and designed by California-based architectural group Jerde Partnership International, in collaboration with Philippine architectural firm Roger Villarosa Architects & Associates. Structural design and engineering is provided by Hong Kong-based firm Ove Arup & Partners. Completed in 2013 | Photo: Century Properties

ZUELLIG BUILDING: Completed in 2012. Designed by international architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP, in cooperation with local architectural firm W.V. Coscolluela & Associates. Façade design was done by Meinhardt Hong Kong Pte. Ltd., while structural, mechanical & electrical, and fire protection engineering & design was provided by Meinhardt Philippines | Photo: Uni-Five Steel Corporation

SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION BUILDING: Designed by the Mañosa brothers, particularly National Artist Francisco Mañosa, with landscape architecture by National Artist Ildefonso P. Santos in 1996 | Photo: San Miguel Corporation

PHILIPPINE ARENA: Designed by global mega-architecture firm Populous, completed in 2014 | Photo: Populous Design Firm

MACTAN CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - TERMINAL 2: Designed by multi-awarded firm Integrated Design Associates (IDA) Hong Kong and its principal architect, Winston Shu, in collaboration with world-class Filipino designers including award-winning furniture maker Kenneth Cobonpue. Completed in 2018 | Photo: Megawide Construction Corporation

ILOILO CONVENTION CENTRE: The state-of-the-art convention centre designed by Ilonggo architect, William Coscolluela, inaugurated in 2015 | Photo: Prescon Philippines, Inc.

THE CHURCH OF THE GESU: Designed by Architect Jose Pedro Recio with Recio + Casas Architects. Construction was completed in 2003 by Aromin + Sy Associates as civil engineering team. | Photo: Cocoy Sarmenta / Ateneo de Manila University archives

NEW CLARK CITY ATHLETICS STADIUM: Designed by Budji + Royal Architecture + Design primarily for the South East Asian Games 2019 | Photo: Tatler Philippines

NEW CLARK CITY AQUATICS CENTRE: Designed by Budji + Royal Architecture + Design primarily for the South East Asian Games 2019 | Photo: Tatler Philippines

THE GRAND HYATT MANILA: Wong & Ouyang, as well as Casas Architects were the architectural firms behind the tallest building in the Philippines. Ove Arup & Partners was responsible for the wind, structural, and seismic engineering of the building. Completed in 2018 | Photo: Federal Land, Inc.

TRUMP TOWER: Completed in 2017 by Century City Development Corporation. It was designed by Broadway Malyan, in partnership with Pomeroy Studio LPPA Design Group, Inc | Photo: Trump

THE NET PARK: A 48-story green and sustainable corporate tower. Developed by Charlie Rufino of the Rufino Family and designed by Chad Oppenheim, a Miami-based architect who specialises in green architecture | Photo: MarkeOT

THE MIND MUSEUM: Opened in 2012 and designed by architect Ed Calma, from Lor Calma & Partners. The design of the structure was inspired from cellular structure and growth and had a solar reflective exterior, natural wind ventilation and rainwater flow drainage | Photo: The Mind Museum

SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH MASJID / GRAND MOSQUE OF COTABATO: Largest mosque in the Philippines erected in 2011. Designed by architect Felino Palafox | Photo: mymindanao

MOTHER ODF ALL ASIA – TOWER OF PEACE: A monument, sculpture and shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Designed by sculptor Eduardo Castrillo and is made of concrete and steel. Will open in 2021 to mark the 500th commemoration of Christianity in the Philippines. By then, it will be the tallest structure in the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary | Photo: Dino Santos Jr. / Tripadvisor

ARETÉ: Designed by W.V. Coscolluela & Associates, inaugurated in 2018 | Photo: Ateneo de Manila University

OKADA MANILA: Designed by GF & Partners and PRSP Architects, opened in 2016 | Photo: Tatler Philippines

Photo 1 of 20 THE PODIUM WEST TOWER: Designed by Arquitectonica and completed in 2019 | Photo: denjinman / Mi Community

Photo 2 of 20 PHILIPPINE BANK OF COMMUNICATION (PBCOM) TOWER: Designed by Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill LLP and completed in 2000 | Photo: Campbell & Associates, Inc.

Photo 3 of 20 THE ENTERPRISE CENTRE: Completed in 1999, it was designed by Wong & Tung International Limited - Hong Kong, in collaboration with ARADS & Associates - Manila | Photo: RBK Realty

Photo 4 of 20 THE GRAMERCY RESIDENCES: Planned and designed by California-based architectural group Jerde Partnership International, in collaboration with Philippine architectural firm Roger Villarosa Architects & Associates. Structural design and engineering is provided by Hong Kong-based firm Ove Arup & Partners. Completed in 2013 | Photo: Century Properties

Photo 5 of 20 ZUELLIG BUILDING: Completed in 2012. Designed by international architectural firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP, in cooperation with local architectural firm W.V. Coscolluela & Associates. Façade design was done by Meinhardt Hong Kong Pte. Ltd., while structural, mechanical & electrical, and fire protection engineering & design was provided by Meinhardt Philippines | Photo: Uni-Five Steel Corporation

Photo 6 of 20 SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION BUILDING: Designed by the Mañosa brothers, particularly National Artist Francisco Mañosa, with landscape architecture by National Artist Ildefonso P. Santos in 1996 | Photo: San Miguel Corporation

Photo 7 of 20 PHILIPPINE ARENA: Designed by global mega-architecture firm Populous, completed in 2014 | Photo: Populous Design Firm

Photo 8 of 20 MACTAN CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT - TERMINAL 2: Designed by multi-awarded firm Integrated Design Associates (IDA) Hong Kong and its principal architect, Winston Shu, in collaboration with world-class Filipino designers including award-winning furniture maker Kenneth Cobonpue. Completed in 2018 | Photo: Megawide Construction Corporation

Photo 9 of 20 ILOILO CONVENTION CENTRE: The state-of-the-art convention centre designed by Ilonggo architect, William Coscolluela, inaugurated in 2015 | Photo: Prescon Philippines, Inc.

Photo 10 of 20 THE CHURCH OF THE GESU: Designed by Architect Jose Pedro Recio with Recio + Casas Architects. Construction was completed in 2003 by Aromin + Sy Associates as civil engineering team. | Photo: Cocoy Sarmenta / Ateneo de Manila University archives

Photo 11 of 20 NEW CLARK CITY ATHLETICS STADIUM: Designed by Budji + Royal Architecture + Design primarily for the South East Asian Games 2019 | Photo: Tatler Philippines

Photo 12 of 20 NEW CLARK CITY AQUATICS CENTRE: Designed by Budji + Royal Architecture + Design primarily for the South East Asian Games 2019 | Photo: Tatler Philippines

Photo 13 of 20 THE GRAND HYATT MANILA: Wong & Ouyang, as well as Casas Architects were the architectural firms behind the tallest building in the Philippines. Ove Arup & Partners was responsible for the wind, structural, and seismic engineering of the building. Completed in 2018 | Photo: Federal Land, Inc.

Photo 14 of 20 TRUMP TOWER: Completed in 2017 by Century City Development Corporation. It was designed by Broadway Malyan, in partnership with Pomeroy Studio LPPA Design Group, Inc | Photo: Trump

Photo 15 of 20 THE NET PARK: A 48-story green and sustainable corporate tower. Developed by Charlie Rufino of the Rufino Family and designed by Chad Oppenheim, a Miami-based architect who specialises in green architecture | Photo: MarkeOT

Photo 16 of 20 THE MIND MUSEUM: Opened in 2012 and designed by architect Ed Calma, from Lor Calma & Partners. The design of the structure was inspired from cellular structure and growth and had a solar reflective exterior, natural wind ventilation and rainwater flow drainage | Photo: The Mind Museum

Photo 17 of 20 SULTAN HASSANAL BOLKIAH MASJID / GRAND MOSQUE OF COTABATO: Largest mosque in the Philippines erected in 2011. Designed by architect Felino Palafox | Photo: mymindanao

Photo 18 of 20 MOTHER ODF ALL ASIA – TOWER OF PEACE: A monument, sculpture and shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Designed by sculptor Eduardo Castrillo and is made of concrete and steel. Will open in 2021 to mark the 500th commemoration of Christianity in the Philippines. By then, it will be the tallest structure in the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary | Photo: Dino Santos Jr. / Tripadvisor

Photo 19 of 20 ARETÉ: Designed by W.V. Coscolluela & Associates, inaugurated in 2018 | Photo: Ateneo de Manila University

Photo 20 of 20 OKADA MANILA: Designed by GF & Partners and PRSP Architects, opened in 2016 | Photo: Tatler Philippines

THE PODIUM WEST TOWER: Designed by Arquitectonica and completed in 2019 | Photo: denjinman / Mi Community

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Franz Sorilla IV

Art and Culture Editor, Tatler Philippines

About

Before assuming the Art and Culture Editor position, Franz has always had a penchant for visual and performing arts. He is passionate about exploring and writing about the local cultural scene and rediscovering the country’s storied past and rich heritage. Besides working on this luxury lifestyle magazine, Franz is an avid book reader, local traveller, museum-goer, chorister, and community theatre playwright.

Work

Franz earned a degree in Journalism from the University of Santo Tomas. He writes about local visual and performing artists and their craft; drinks wines, liquors, and spirits and talks about the creativity of their respective winemakers and master blenders; tries to learn more about business and investments; respects the tradition and artistry that go behind the making of watches and jewellery; and appreciates the genius of architecture and creative design.

As head of Tatler Philippines’ pool of writers, he helps them bring impactful and socially relevant stories to light.

For any leads, you may reach him through @franzsorillaiv on Instagram or franz@tatlerphilippines.com via email.