Century City. Striking an awe-inspiring silhouette against the Makati skyline, the former International School grounds considered as the last large piece of property in Makati City, is envisioned to become a landmark of a truly global Philippines.

THE last remaining large piece of undeveloped land in the city of Makati will play host to its soon-to-be-expanded Central Business District (CBD).

Dubbed as “A city within a city,” Century City, a sprawling P40-billion integrated urban mixed-use complex, is set to rise in the property formerly occupied by the International School Manila.

The development project is designed to become an integrated mixed-use complex estimated at P40 billion that will comprise office buildings, residential towers, a luxury hotel, leisure and entertainment facilities and one-of-a-kind landscapes.

Master planned by the renowned Jerde Partnership, it is the latest evolutionary project of Century Properties, positioned to rise as a visual icon in the Makati skyline and a landmark of a truly global Philippines.

It will be located on a five-hectare prime real estate on Kalayaan Avenue, the last remaining large piece of undeveloped land in the Kalayaan-Makati Avenue section of the city’s business district. 

Its developers, Century Properties, said in a statement that they have envisioned the concept to be an “architectural masterpiece” and “never before seen in the Philippines,” with components, amenities and features “some of which have never been done anywhere else in the world. Century City is poised to become a true world-class destination like other Jerde-designed global landmarks: the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the Roppongi Hills in Tokyo, and the soon-to-rise City of Dreams in Macau,” the statement said.

Jon Adams Jerde, representing his company, the Jerde Partnership International said that Century City is poised to become “an organic future city that fuses nature and technology.”

“Major components of the planned development will include exclusive luxury residences, Grade A offices, state-of-the-art corporate complexes, a resort-style country club, a designer-branded luxury hotel, and a sprawling shopping, dining and entertainment complex unlike anything ever built.” Jerde said in a statement.

The retail component will be an organic glassed-in complex that will connect to the living and working components of the urban ecosystem. The architecture will be inspired by nature’s blueprint, with canyons, waterworks, cliffs and high-rises like redwoods reaching for the sky. 

Based in Venice, California, the architecture and urban planning firm (Jerde) is currently one of the members of an international and local creative team that will combine to create the progressive project, which has been touted as “a development for the next century.”

Bidded out by the government in February 2006, the property was successfully acquired in June 2006 by the group led by Century Properties Inc., along with Singapore-based Crescent Group and Picar Holdings.

Century City will contain the first and only Philippine Economic Zone Authority information-technology (IT) park in Makati. A minimum of 160, 000 square meters of Grade A offices are already being made available to BPO locators and other multinational companies.

According to its developers, Century City will go beyond the usual design and structure of typical integrated cities, to rise as “a fitting symbol for the Philippines’ highest aspirations as a global financial and business center, as well as a new entertainment destination in Asia.”

Century City is indeed poised to become world-class in all respects—from its iconic architecture to its nature-inspired and self-contained environment, first-rate property management and prime real-estate value.

An emphasis on natural light will flood the shopping, dining and entertainment areas that are spread out across the city, with movie theaters, a central plaza, pockets of green spaces and dramatic water features. It will project a strong sense of place and character, where people will revel in new experiences as they meet, live, shop and work.

“Our newest project will enhance the Makati CBD and add to the city’s mix of integrated urban developments,” Antonio added.

Project groundbreaking is scheduled for the second quarter of 2007 with the completion of the first office building in 2009.

Century Properties, one of the largest real-estate companies in the Philippines, is behind many firsts in Philippine vertical and horizontal developments, such as the award-winning Essensa East Forbes; South of Market, the first fully fitted and fully furnished condominium; Grand Soho Makati, the fully fitted and fully furnished condominium with three interior design options; Soho Central, the first transportation-oriented development; Canyon Ranch, the first Wi-Fi-integrated community in the South; and The Casitas at Canyon Ranch, the first fully fitted, fully furnished and fully serviced homes in Asia.

Clarification: Century City is a 3.4 hectare development within the former International School of Manila (“Property”) consisting of 4.8 hectares. Picar Holdings Inc. owns 1.3 hectares of the property and has the exclusive right to build a hotel.  

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