BDO Unibank has broken ground on a new Manila campus designed by Foster + Partners. The project, comprising two towers, seeks to depart from the typical model of air-conditioned high-rise office towers in the city and draw on vernacular architecture more responsive to the humid tropical climate.
The campus integrates five separate plots into a single development, featuring two high-rise towers that frame a triple-height public space. The open public area, sheltered from rain and sun, is designed with greenery and artwork, while an elevated reception connects visitors and staff to office towers and key amenities. In addition to workspaces, the development holds a 32,000-square foot meeting and event space and a public museum showcases BDO’s art collection.
Outside, regular setbacks in the building mass create triple-storey amenity floors with outdoor terraces. The design also includes an urban rooftop farm, supporting the campus’s farm-to-table initiative and community activities. On the facades, solar analysis shaped the use of woven metal mesh screens, inspired by traditional patterns, to shade sun-exposed areas while creating a glowing lantern effect at night.
“The structure of the buildings is intentionally placed on the outside of their envelopes to actively shade the façades while achieving an efficient structural design in a seismic zone,” Foster + Partners Senior Partner Roland Schnizer notes. “The exoskeletons create column-free spaces internally and support external solar shading screens.”
According to the team, lightweight structural systems cut concrete use by 65,000 tons, while energy-efficient systems such as radiant cooling will reduce operational energy by 40%. Onsite water recycling covers over 70% of potable needs, the team adds.
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