Triangle Park (Quezon City): Difference between revisions

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Triangle Park is a 250-hectare mixed-use central business district (CBD) development intended to serve as the gravity of all commercial activities in Metro Manila in the coming years. It is located in Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines and organized around five districts, each with mixed-use character but with distinct identity. It is one of the three currently existing main business districts of the city - along side Eastwood City in Libis and Araneta Center in Cubao. It is one of two business districts currently being developed or redeveloped, the other being Neopolitan Business Park in Novaliches.

This business district spans from the East and North Triangles of the Quezon Memorial Circle encompassing the North Avenue up to the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) property. The World Bank dubbed the project as “the center of gravity of commercial developments in Metro Manila in the coming years.” The site offers the most ideal locations in terms of metropolitan access. It will be linked to at least three Metro Rail Transit stations and has one of the most expansive EDSA frontages, compared to other central business districts. World Bank contracted the Japanese firm, Almec, to complete the framework plan. Two companies have been given permission to develop the remaining empty lots, Ayala Land of the Ayala Corporation for the North Triangle^[1] and Eton Properties Philippines of the Lucio Tan Group for the East Triangle.^[2]

The project began as early as May 2002 with the issuance of Executive Order No. 106^[3] by then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo creating the tripartite body called the North Triangle Development Committee that will oversee the development of the Quezon City Central Business District after a visit in the area on February 19, 2012. The Committee is tasked specifically to study and resolve the problem of security of tenure of the residents in North Triangle – a 37-hectare property of the National Housing Authority (NHA) that is leased to the Robinsons Land Corporation.

By 2007, the covered area expanded to 250 hectares while the name and composition of the body tasked to define and implement the plan was changed by Executive Orders No. 620^[4] and 620-A^[5] issued May 4 and September 11, respectively. These Executive Orders mandate the “rationalization and speeding up of the development of the East and North Triangles, and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center area of Quezon City, as a well-planned, integrated and environmentally balanced mixed-use development model.” It also transformed the North Triangle Development Committee into the Urban Triangle Development Commission (TriDev Commission) and shrank the composition of said body from five to three members.

File:QC CBD Logo.png

On March 2012, The Quezon City council has passed an ordinance^[6] classifying 250.6 hectares of the North Triangle, East Triangle and the Veterans Memorial Medical Center as a Central Business District including a master plan for the orderly organization of the area with distinct regulations and standards not provided for in existing laws.^[7]

The five districts are Commons, Downtown Hub, Emporium, Residences at Veterans, Triangle Exchange.

Area: 18.2 Land Use: park, recreational, and residential

The Commons is located on the northeastern corner of the study area. It is bounded on the north by North Avenue, east by Elliptical Road, southeast by Quezon Avenue and southwest by the proposed new Park Lane road flanking the Downtown Hub District. At present the Commons is the site of the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife.

The district is "essentially a mixed-use park with cultural, recreational, entertainment amenity focus, allowing some residential use." The district will be developed as high-end residential development particularly the corners. The Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife will be developed as a well designed landscaped open space with uses for active and passive recreation. Park towers should be slender and oriented with their shorter frontages along the park. The Park should be designed as the focal open space element within the project. Residential towers in the Commons should be oriented with their major open sides facing the Commons. Balconies and terraces can bring out resident activity. A great variety of architectural treatments is encouraged facing the park, to create a diverse skyline and high level of visual interest from the park.

Area: 58.46 Land Use: institutional, residential, and commercial

The Downtown Hub is bounded on the northeast by North Avenue, east by the Commons District and Elliptical Road, the southeast by East Avenue and southwest by Agham and BIR roads. At present, the District is characterized by mostly institutional uses. Notable in the area are its many medical institutions like the Philippine Children's Hospital, Lung Center, the National Kidney Institute and other national government institutions such as the Bangko Sentral mint, Bureau of Internal Revenue, and Pagasa weather bureau.

The Downtown Hub is "a mixed use, medium-density district with institutional services and facilities (medical, education, training, science, etc.) integrated with commercial and residential developments." The District concept is to create a mixed-use, medium-density, institutional/residential/ commercial community that complements the adjacent parks and open spaces of the Commons District and the Quezon Memorial Circle. The Downtown Hub is encouraged to have horizontal mixed uses so as to be compatible with the less dense intensity and larger blocks and lots. Single-use buildings are combined in one planned development. However, the buildings along the Main Access Road are encouraged to be vertical, mixed-use structures.

The District is further subdivided into the Healthcare, Civic, Parkway and Park Sub-districts. The Healthcare sub-district consists of the block above the main entrance spine from East Avenue. This is where Medical Centers such as the Lung Center and Kidney Institute have clustered. The sub-district is also adjacent to the Philippine Heart Center and East Avenue Medical Center located just across East Avenue. The Parkway sub-district consists of the Mixed-Use retail uses along the main spine that passes through the various districts. The Park sub-district consists of the mixed- use residential areas just between Agham Road and the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife.

The Midtown sub-district encompasses the western flank of the Downtown Hub District along BIR Road and contains mixed-use institutional uses. The hierarchy and network of urban spaces within Downtown Hub begin with the Entrance Gateways along four (4) main entrance gateways: East Avenue, North Avenue, BIR Road and Agham Road. These terminate at the Downtown Hub District Greens which serve as focal point and landmark. Creek linear park in the North Triangle connects the Downtown Hub green and the Commons District to the Emporium/Triangle Exchange District.

In contrast to the Triangle Exchange and Emporium Districts, blocks are larger at approximately 100m x 100m and setbacks are allowed to enhance the park-like feel. Only the Parkway containing Mixed Use Retail on its ground level has no setbacks. FAR ranges from 4.5 to 5 decreasing from Agham/BIR Roads to Elliptical Road. Building heights range from 10 to 15 storeys in similar decreasing fashion. A population of 2.25 million persons is intended for the District at the end of the 20-year horizon.

Area: 49.5 Land Use: I.T., commercial, and residential

The Emporium District is situated north east of the Triangle Exchange District. It is bounded on the northwest by the Residences District, on the northeast by Agham and BIR Roads, southeast by East Avenue and southwest by the Triangle Exchange District.

The Emporium District is a "mixed use medium density district focused on information technology activities, e-government, public, voluntary, international offices or services along with commercial and residential developments. University-based research and development and commercial IT activities are encouraged.

The District's sub-districts are the same as those of the Triangle Exchange, owing to their close proximity to each other and configuration. The Government Center, E and South sub-districts extend to the Emporium. The Emporium and Triangle Exchange Districts share several common elements such as the street framework, block size and open space network Land uses: The district also has similar land uses to the Triangle Exchange district. The Emporium can be distinguished from Triangle Exchange by the type of locators and streetscape elements such as paving and trees. The district is devoted to business process outsourcing offices and 24-hr business centers. Population is expected to reach 110,000 in the 20-year development period. Floor area ratios: FAR is 12-14. Building heights range from 24 to 40 storeys.

Area: 39.7 Land Use: residential and recreational

The Residences is located at the northwestern tip of the Emporium District, just off the creek that traverses the North Triangle. It is bounded on the northwest by North Avenue, northeast by Agham Road, southeast by the creek and southwest by the main access road from North Avenue.

The purpose of the Residences District is to create residential communities that will accommodate the QC CBD's residential population. To enhance community livability by providing housing choices; varied open spaces for recreation, leisure and congregation; easy access to community retail and shops, and good connectivity to the rest of the Triangle via public transit and pedestrian networks. The design will capitalize on the various parks and open spaces as a unique attraction. The Residences District is "a mixed-use community with a residential focus and allows a range of housing types from high-rise condominiums to medium and lower density town homes. Neighborhood retail and community services are also encouraged particularly along the North Avenue frontage." The Residences District is similar to the Emporium District, and shares sub-districts with the Triangle Exchange District. The Junction and Central districts extend into the Residences district. The rest of the district is the Park sub-district where mixed use residential condominiums in a park-like setting and overlooking the Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife are located. The district will provide a sense of community and home for the everyday needs for the residential population the Triangle Park. Buildings heights are much lower than in the commercial districts and more fine grain. Compared to the commercial districts, the buildings will have more articulated facades and balconies, overhangs and other architectural devices that convey a high degree of uniqueness and express a sense of belonging. There are two proposed major land uses in the Residences District - the Mixed Use Residential and Mixed Use with Retail on ground floor.

FAR of 5.4 to FAR 5.8 decreasing from the main road going towards North Avenue and Agham Road. Likewise building heights are decreasing from 24 storeys. The area is designed to have 880,000 population when the Triangle Park is fully built-up. The Residences District blocks are larger than the other Districts and this distinguishes the district from the rest. Blocks measure around 150m x 150m compared to the Downtown Hub and Triangle Exchange/Emporium.

Area: 62.3 hectares Land Use: commercial, residential, active recreational, and transit center

The Triangle Exchange is located at the southwestern portion of Triangle Park. It is bounded by EDSA on the south west, North Avenue on the northwest, Emporium District on the northeast and East Avenue on the southeast.

Three Manila Metro Rail Transit System stations run along the EDSA portion of the District: Kamuning MRT Station, Quezon Avenue MRT Station and North Avenue MRT Station. The District has the largest EDSA frontage.

The Triangle Exchange is envisioned to have the highest densities in Triangle Park. It is a high-traffic district with the highest land values. Its commercial (office and retail), residential and other land uses are fully integrated with EDSA's transit facilities, thus providing the best regional link and commuter access. It is seen to be the most active area of Triangle Park, transforming its daytime office and service environment into a dining and recreational center at night. Offices, shopping, recreation and transit-oriented residential developments are encouraged.

The Triangle Exchange District is further sub-divided into several sub-districts: Transit sub-district because of the LRT and MRT stations that line the area including the proposed North Avenue LRT Station, officially named Metro Manila Integrated Rail Terminal or Common Station;^[13] Junction sub-district, because this is where North Avenue meets Mindanao Avenue; South district; Central sub-district is the area around the Triangle Exchange District Green and contains retail ground floor uses; Government Center sub-district is the area at the southernmost tip of the Triangle Exchange and served by the Kamuning MRT Station. It is envisioned to be the access point to national government agencies in the area. The area served by the Quezon Avenue MRT Station, is the E sub-district because of the information technology locators in the area.

The Triangle Exchange among the five districts has the highest densities owing to its proximity to the EDSA corridor. Density, FAR and Land Blocks: FAR is 12 to 16. FARs are highest around the District Green at 16 and building heights up to 40 storeys, then as you go further go down to 14 and 12 with building heights of 24 storeys. Blocks range from approximately 50 meters in depth by 100 meters in length.

1. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP)
2. Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR)
3. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)
4. Land Registration Authority
5. National Electrification Administration (NEA)
6. National Irrigation Administration (NIA)
7. National Power Corporation (NAPOCOR)
8. National Printing Office (NPO)
9. National Statistics Office (NSO)
10. National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)
11. Office of the Ombudsman
12. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA)
13. Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)
14. Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) Office

1. Centris Station inside Eton Centris
2. Eton Cyberpod Centris 1-4 inside Eton Centris
3. Elements inside Eton Centris
4. SM City North EDSA
5. TriNoma

1. Centris Walk inside Eton Centris
2. Veterans’ Golf Course

1. Lung Center of the Philippines
2. National Kidney and Transplant Institute
3. Occupational Safety and Health Center
4. Philippine Children's Hospital
5. Veterans Memorial Medical Center

1. Ninoy Aquino Parks & Wildlife Center
2. Quezon Memorial Circle

1. NegoSiete Institute
2. Philippine Science High School
3. Quezon City Science High School

• Quezon City
• List of Strong Republic Transit System stations
• Manila LRT Yellow Line
• Manila Metro Rail Transit System
• Manila Red Line (MRT Line 7)

• Quezon City Central Business District
• The National Urban Poor Coalition (NUPCO) blog on Wordpress
• Executive Order No. 620. Issued on 4 May 2007
• Executive Order No. 620-A. Issued on 11 September 2007