The Corner House: An Indoor-outdoor Community Space with an Adaptable Envelope

The city of San Juan is regarded as the geographical ‘heart’ of Metro Manila, the Philippines’s largest metropolitan area. This strategic city predominantly consists of residential areas, with the largest population group comprising 20–24 years old.¹ Although there are numerous shopping centres that cater to this young demographic,² they are largely closed-off, heavily air-conditioned outfits.

This may be because strolling in Metro Manila’s tropical heat is no walk in the park. Record-breaking temperatures have soared above 40 degree Celsius in 2024,3 and there is a lack of facilities that support outdoor activity. The near absence of functional sidewalks in San Juan was observed by architect Amata Luphaiboon, who hails from the walkable Bangkok. “Safe pedestrian pathways are scarce, making walking, let alone jogging, along the streets quite difficult. This prompted us to rethink how we could offer a safe, engaging and dynamic pedestrian experience.”

Hence, The Corner House was designed to address this need without becoming another mechanically-cooled offering. The design was informed by Luphaiboon’s experience in creating theCOMMONS open-air community spaces in Bangkok that first opened in 2016. “I see the ‘mall lifestyle’ as detrimental to both physical and mental well-being,” he said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, the open-air concept proved invaluable, allowing tenants and property owners to endure the economic challenges of the pandemic. We believe that the principle is equally relevant in other countries, starting with the Philippines.”

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PATHWAY FOR EXPLORATION

While the intention behind The Corner House was aligned with the firm’s Bangkok projects, the architectural solution for Manila was distinct. Notably, the building features a 500-metre-long ramp from the ground level that winds around both inside and outside the building, eventually reaching the rooftop. This ramp serves as both a jogging track and a social space that offered views of the San Juan skyline. By night, the ramp transforms into a venue for dining, parties and events with colour-changing lights that alter its appearance based on the desired ambiance.

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PROJECT DATA

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Read more stories from FuturArc 4Q 2024: Tempering Temperatures!

¹ https://www.philatlas.com/luzon/ncr/san-juan.html
² https://www.dotproperty.com.ph/blog/6-reasons-san-juan-ideal-place-live-families
³ https://manilastandard.net/?p=314438342