In-Between CBD's: Tokyo & Manila Design Aesthetics

Manila has surprisingly modern CBD's comparable to business districts in more developed countries but no need to be defensive about it. GDP statistics are just fleeting figures but what you see before your eyes is the current reality. The problem, of course, is what to do with the areas between those First World CBD's. Should they remain Third World and be tied down by GDP level prejudices? Well, the interior streets can wait for more GDP-appropriate times but the main avenues connecting those CBD's have no reason not to look as First World as the CBD's themselves. The image is king for the upstart.

For Asian cities (in fact, for all cities), I always look up to Tokyo for inspiration. Like Manila, Tokyo has circumscribed business areas where skyscrapers are prominent but sorrounded by congested neighborhoods composed mostly of narrow winding streets with small houses, typical in Asian mega-urbes. Manila can learn how Tokyo connected those business areas by not so wide avenues lined with medium rises mostly with postmodern designs. Behind those impressive wall of buildings, you'll find that the old neighborhoods still had their narrow winding streets and small houses but improved by an aesthetic that clearly was Tokyo's own. If Tokyo, which clearly had origins same as MetroManila, became so appealing, then Manila knows it could also be appealing in the future. In Tokyo, it has a guide.

First in order is a major overhaul of mindset. Filipinos are prone to "mimicking"- if a "lechon manok" stand becomes a hit in a corner, expect the whole neighborhood will shortly sell "lechon manok". When the Makati developer, the Ayala's, hit the jackpot, everybody wanted to create his own Makati so major developments were done only in spots where there were wide vacant lots which could be developed into CBD's a la Makati. That's the reason why Manila has this profusion of First World CBD's amidst ramshackle, ungentrified areas of the metropolis. A reflection of the prevailing societal complexion: too few but very rich elite & poor majority. It need not look that way despite the economic reality: ironically, the Marcos martial law years elevated a new set of economic elite (the Asian Filipinos, native and foreign flavored) who now control a far bigger part of the wealth than those of the old ones but unfortunately, they remained stuck merely imitating the latter. The new set of elite, as it revs up the lever of the new Philippines, don't have to go far to seek the better models for its context. The best ones are in Asia itself. The times when Filipinos pretended to be "still tall" just because they were more Westernized is now ridiculous when the Tokyo's, Shanghai's, Hongkongs & Singapore's of this world are up there slugging it out with the fading idols.  And mind you, the new shining stars are neighbors.

Manila has enough sparkling CBD's, time to develop the avenues inter-connecting those CBD's.
We'll first feature the new design aesthetic- the new standards which keep great cities like Tokyo at the cutting edge. Manila already has many skyscrapers, what it lacks are well-designed low to medium rise buildings which should gentrify the rundown avenues that connect its First World CBD's.. The reliance on the squat concrete block should be transcended. Below is a short look at Tokyo's treasures, proofs  that there are more interesting buildings besides the skyscrapers.