Ortigas unveils Industria mall

MANILA, Philippines - Quezon City mall-goers will soon have a new place to dine and shop in as premiere property developer Ortigas & Co. unveils Industria.

Industria is the latest retail development venture of Ortigas & Company. Photo courtesy of Ortigas & Company

In a statement on Tuesday, February 19, Ortigas said the P400 million-worth mall with a total leasable area of 14,000 square meters will feature an indoor-outdoor retail concept.
The new complex is expected to become the neighborhood commerical center for Circulo Verde, a P25-billion flagship residential development of Ortigas & Co., composed of 15 towers, located along Calle Industria in Quezon City.

"The name Industria alludes to the roots and legacy of the site. It has reference to the adjacent street ‘Calle Industria.’ The architecture of the proposed development also relates to industrial design elements," said Ortigas & Co. Shopping Center Division General Manager Cathy Casares-Ko.
It is designed to be a hang-out place for Circulo Verde’s residents as well as a young, edgy, and artsy crowd. It will be accessible to the public via two main entrances.

One access point is located along Calle Industria, and an alternative access bridge linking Circulo Verde to Amang Rodriguez is being developed.

It aims to have mix of tenants composed of a neighborhood grocery, unique gastronomic concepts, a fitness center, weekend markets featuring organic choices, as well as craft fairs.
It is also envisioned to be a venue for street art shows and music festivals. A special section of Industria, called the Lab, will house novel concepts in arts, culture, and design.
The new mall is expected to be fully completed in the first quarter of 2014, while the anchor supermarket should be ready by December 2013.

Industria will be the newest addition to the company's other retail developments, like Tiendesitas, Greenhills Shopping Center, and Estancia at Capitol Commons.
"Ortigas’ retail developments each have very distinct characteristics. While people flock to Greenhills Shopping Center for bargain finds, Tiendesitas for all-Filipino goods, and soon Estancia for high end destination retailers, the young and artistic personality of Industria would make it a haven for individuals who are looking for alternatives in food, fashion, and entertainment," Ko said.
The launch of Industria is the new addition to these ongoing projects of the Ortigas group:

• Greenhills Shopping Center which is undergoing a P25-billion redevelopment project, which is now on its 2nd phase;
• Tiendesitas which is going through a redevelopment process that will make it bigger by 20,000 sqm and cooler; and
• The construction of Estancia at Capitol Commons is well underway, with the mall set to open by 2014. 

- Rappler.com

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It would be great to see more development projects pay homage to the local surroundings and heritage of the community they are building in. As a developer, you must understand the context of where you are building these urban spaces, keeping in mind the urban design and its connection to the greater fabric. This projects seems very promising...although...another retail mall? The Philippine economy is based on local consumption and it seems as though there will always be demand for these spaces as the population continues to grow, especially if this development is trying to attract the yuppie and artsy segment of the population.