Cities in transition: 37 years of change
Philippine cities are evolving fast. Pressures from rising congestion, the impact of climate change, and shifting lifestyles are pushing developers to rethink what makes a community truly livable.
As Ayala Land marks its 37th year, it aims to set new standards for the future by reimagining familiar spaces into vibrant, livable urban environments.
Redefining city living
The Makati central business district, the country’s premier financial hub, is entering a new chapter. Developments such as Dela Rosa Gardens in Legazpi Village, along with zoning updates that allow more mixed-use buildings, signal the need for a city center that is greener, more walkable, and more connected.
This focus on accessibility echoes the global “15-minute city” movement, which Ayala Land has already brought to life in estates like Bonifacio Global City and Arca South. In these districts, mobility is no longer just about getting from point A to B, but also about designing complete communities with everyday life within reach.
Premium residences reflect this shift as well. Park Villas at Ayala Triangle Gardens offers expansive city homes in one of the city’s most prime addresses, while Laurean Residences provides a sanctuary tucked within Makati’s vibrant core. Supporting these developments are transport links like One Ayala, an intermodal transit hub at the city’s gateway, as well as new transport terminals in Nuvali and Vermosa, designed to ease daily commute.
Building with resilience in mind
The bigger challenge, however, is how to build cities that can withstand both time and climate. Ayala Land has set a Net Zero 2050 target, and the shift is already visible in how it plans and builds.
Across its estates—from Nuvali’s tree-lined boulevards to pocket parks in BGC—open green spaces are designed to serve as natural cooling systems in dense urban areas. In construction, the company is embracing circular economy practices, such as recycling steel rebars and using low-carbon cement, to reduce its footprint.
Energy use is also undergoing a transformation. Today, 97 percent of Ayala Land’s commercial portfolio—comprising malls, hotels, and offices—sources its power from renewable energy. More than 1 million sqm in gross leasable area of commercial office space have received EDGE Zero Carbon certification, the most extensive portfolio of its kind in the country.
Reinventing everyday experiences
The company is also betting on the spaces where Filipinos spend much of their time: malls and shopping centers.
A P17.5-billion redevelopment program is underway for Greenbelt, Glorietta, TriNoma, and Ayala Center Cebu, reimagining them as social and cultural hubs as much as shopping centers. Other malls in its nationwide network are set to follow.
Hospitality is following a similar trajectory. Investing over $500 million in the industry, Ayala Land is bringing in new international names like Moxy by Marriott at Circuit Makati and Canopy by Hilton at One Ayala, while growing its homegrown Seda Hotels. In El Nido, Palawan, eco-luxury resorts reflect how tourism can balance comfort with care for the environment.
A legacy still unfolding
From the country’s first central business district to today’s integrated mixed-use estates, Ayala Land has influenced how Filipinos imagine urban life.
Now, at 37 years, the company faces a defining challenge shared by cities around the world: how to grow sustainably while keeping communities livable.
Ayala Land’s response is both bold and thoughtful—breathing new life to urban cores, embracing greener construction technologies, and reinventing lifestyle spaces to meet the needs of the customers. It reflects a future-forward vision rooted in decades of experience, but with eyes firmly set on what’s next.
For Ayala Land, the work of shaping cities is far from finished; if anything, it is only beginning again.
