A green space above the city

Last December, at the top of Pasig City Hall, Santa and his reindeer were surrounded by pretty patches of green. A 360-degree view stretched out, but no one was there to enjoy it. It was a few days before Christmas and everyone was probably too busy with holiday preparations to come and check out one of the best gifts of the year—the Pasig Panorama Park.

 

In an effort to add more green spaces, the Pasig City government asked professional landscape architectural firm PGAA Creative Design to turn its City Hall's 2,000-square-meter roof into a sky park.

 

The sky park is a Serbisyong Totoo project of Mayor Bobby Eusebio and the Pasig City Council, which aims to create green spaces in urban areas to constitute significant improvements in the quality of the environment and the living conditions of each Pasigueño. The aerial garden is a key component of the greening of the Pasig City Hall Complex. 

 

"By reducing heat gain, absorbing rain water, as well as adding beauty to one of the cleanest and greenest cities in the metropolis, this redevelopment of the rooftop into a functional Panorama Park intends to turn the Pasig City Hall building into a modern and model green and sustainable edifice," reads a plaque at the center of the park.

 

Construction of the park started on November 8, 2010 and was completed on March 7, 2011. The inauguration was held on December 15, 2011, just in time for Christmas. 

 

Green roof

 

To construct a green roof, P2,000 to P5,000 would be needed per square meter of green area, but this would be money well-spent, considering the benefits.

 

PGAA Principal Paulo Alcazaren explains the advantages of having a green roof, from its environmental impact to its recreational uses.

 

The advantages are:

Alcazaren notes that there are certain factors to be considered when planning a green roof. First, there are structural requirements, because the roofs will carry the additional weight of soil and plants.

 

For older buildings like the Pasig City Hall, the design has to be made around structural parameters. "We had to avoid putting too much weight in the center, which could not take too much additional loads," he says.

 

There are other requirements, like drainage and irrigation, lighting, and safety railings. "Finally the designs of green roofs are more than just the placing of plants and green. It is a matter of proper design of this outdoor space so that it can be used for recreation or utility—this is the major portion of the job of landscape architects," says Alcazaren.

 

"All such projects start with a detailed survey of the property, then a thorough evaluation of the functional needs of the park to be able to design its site properly. Parks are technically complex projects that require an understanding of pedestrian and vehicular circulation, civil engineering and bioengineering concepts, utility requirements such as drainage and lighting, security, as well as cultural use of space and human behavior. Planting design — involving trees, shrubs and ground covers — is only one, albeit important, component of a wide range of concerns in the design of parks and open spaces," wrote Alcazaren in his Philippine Star column City Sense.

 

He shares that PGAA is designing an esplanade/linear park for Iloilo City with Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog and the support of Senator Frank Drilon, who initiated the project. Alcazaren notes that they have completed more park projects in other countries like Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Riyadh KSA than in the Philippines. "They are more receptive and proactive than here...hopefully this will change," said Alcazaren, who posted photos of the newly-inaugurated Panorama Park on his Facebook page.

 

A lovely spot

 

While news of the park was met enthusiastically online, it did not seem to be attracting too many visitors yet. Although the park is open on weekdays during office hours, there were no visible means of promotion in Pasig City nor on the City Hall grounds.

 

When we arrived at the lobby, the guards seemed hesitant to allow us to see the park, and asked us repeatedly who we were looking for. When we got off at the eighth floor, people went about their business as usual, busy with daily office duties. We took the stairs to the rooftop, and stepped out into a completely different scene.

 

The Panorama Park was spacious, although it was not as green as I thought it might be. Still, it was greener than most rooftops, which were visible from almost any spot. Colorful shrubs dotted the modest lawns, and parts of the wall were covered with flowering plants. From one side, you can look down to see Pasig Central Park, where small office structures and sheds used to be located before being transferred to the main building. In 2009, PGAA designed Pasig Central Park, an 8,000-square-meter green oasis right in the middle of the Pasig Civic Complex.

 

"The Pasig Central Park was carved out of a hodgepodge of structures, alleys and parking lots that had accrued over the last thirty years behind the main Pasig City Hall building. The mayor had the area cleared, parking consolidated into a three-level facility, and functions in the cleared structures consolidated into the main perimeter buildings. A total of almost one hectare was recovered and re-purposed into a park and civic space for all Pasigueños to enjoy," wrote Alcazaren in his column.

 

The space is now mostly green, lawns shaded by large trees and pathways lined with pretty shrubs. There are kiosks, and people often stroll through the park or enjoy a leisurely afternoon away from the busy city.

 

In contrast, the Panorama Park has smaller patches of green, and the shade is provided mostly by large permanent tent tops. The structural considerations don't allow it to be as lush as the Central Park, but it is still a refreshing green space above the congested city. It is probably quite beautiful at night, especially with view of the city lights all around. The Panorama Park is a lovely spot. All it needs is some people to enjoy it. –KG, GMA News