Robinsons City Walk

Robinsons City Walk

WTA Architecture and Design Studio as Architects

The city and culture of Bacolod is enamored with glitz and glamour. It is evident in its people. The Bacolodnons are known to dress up for any kind of occasion. The city and surrounding towns grew up around haciendas or sugar plantations. They brought their products to the refinery or sentral. The sentrals served as the heart of these communities. Big and progressive towns are distinguished from others through the number of chimneys or simburyo of its sentral. The sentral served as the towns’ economic spine. Located here were banks and commercial establishments. This setting was relatively different from the traditional town plaza. Unfortunately due to concerns of having a refinery in the heart of the city, the Bacolod sentral was shut down. The closing of its sentral with its accompanying simburyos is a great loss to the heritage of Bacolod. Bacolod is the city of smiles. It is renowned for its masskara festival. This is one of the few non-religious festivals in the country which was born out of a need to get over the grief and loss brought about by the sinking of the Don Juan. This colorful festival is one of the most awaited events in Bacolod. It has made the Bacolodnons conscious of themselves and their status in society. They often show off and project their wealth, which made them a part of the consumers of modern lifestyle. The city of Bacolod is also recognized as a center of learning in the Western Visayas region with its distinguished universities and colleges. Presence of students with the growing number of middle income bpo professionals and the young scions of the haciendas give the city a youthful and energetic atmosphere and a lovely and vibrant night scene. The city is a fast growing center of commerce and trade. It is one of the bright spots in western Visayas region VI. With its upwardly mobile free spending population, its ready to embrace the modern lifestyle. It aspires and looks for the presence of a world-class development that caters to the unique and lovely people of Bacolod. ”Life at the center” The new wing of Robinson’s place Bacolod embraces the idea of the old sentral. It seeks to be the “it” place, the place to be seen, the place where the flow and ebb of society goes - it is the center. It is a new heart for this proud city. Presenting the people with a fresh and fascinating experience. It is a lifestyle center, replete with symbols of the sentral molded and reformed to suit the aspirations of the hip and modern urban population. Arriving at the mall, people immediately notice the subtle yet strong statements made on the portals and façade. Accents that suggest something new and exciting inside. The floating glass extension of the department store frames the view from the main entry. Along with a sizeable and elegant entrance plaza, people are immediately imbibed with the message that they have arrived. This is the red carpet. The fashion catwalk runs beneath the department store extension and connects the new wing to the existing mall. It is a dreamy area of glitz and glamour that serves as a transition point for shoppers. It’s like coming out from the backstage to enter a new stage of wonderful experience. Core of the center- the activity area. Bacolodnons love to party, here people can find all the events that matter. Surrounding the plaza are casual dining establishments that cater to the entire spectrum of mall goers and shoppers. It is the heart of the sentral. ”The Center” is not only a place for shoppers and diners. This is the city’s new center where people can just have fun and hang out. The blue water plaza is a quixotic place where jets shoot water out at cleverly timed intervals. Here you can find kids and kids-at-heart frolic in the water to battle the tropical heat. The main feature of this new development is the light chimneys, the new simburyos of modern Bacolod. They serve as iconic points of reference visible from the main highway and the horizon. At night, they light up the evening sky and the heart of a progressive and modern community. The center also features a unique anchor store. The “greenhouse”, a destination in itself, is an eclectic mix of the needs of a modern urbanite. Here people can find an art gallery, great coffee, fashion and accessories, interesting books and must-have health and beauty products all under one roof. It is a “greenhouse” where one grows the initial shoots of an exciting new lifestyle. The architecture at the center reflects the aspirations of modern Bacolod. It is hip and urban with clean modern lines but still embraces the colors and spirit of Bacolod. Inspired by the spirit of old sentrals, the masskara festival and the old steam locomotives, it projects onto a modern stage, one where the modern urbanite can reach out and connect with an increasingly smaller global village. The center is an expression of community and lifestyle, the place where life begins and ends. Site The site is located to the north of downtown Bacolod, closer to the more affluent communities. Found near the area are the hottest nightspots of Bacolod. As a result of being farther from downtown, it has a unique opportunity to tap into the aspirational uptown ideals of Bacolodnons. Due to its location at an inner lot, integration of “points of interest” on the old façade is essential to attract attention to this exciting new development. It also calls for strategic placement of towers viewable from the main highway.

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