Maranaw memories
One did not have to go south to savor the delights of Maranaw in the 1970s. Although there was no trace of the Islamic except for the name, Maranaw Mall offered countless (at the time) amenities for residents of Magallanes Village, the westernmost suburban development of the Ayala company.
I grew up going to the larger Makati Commercial Center, with its Rizal Theater, Sulu Restaurant, Automat, SM Department Store, Makati Supermarket and various single and two-story arcades. These were all linked by a cruciform network of pedestrian outdoor malls designed by National Artist and landscape architect IP Santos.
The Makati outdoor mall was a huge hit with residents of Makati and the growing population of suburbanites residing in the early “subdivisions” strung together by Highway 54 (today’s EDSA). Makati offered a more comfortable, secure, well-lit and pedestrian-friendly atmosphere than downtown Manila, which by that time had deteriorated into a pickpocket’s paradise, overrun by vendors and the stench of uncollected garbage, clogged sewers and the belch of thousands of jeepneys.
The modern landscape of IP Santos offered lush landscapes, abstract art and gushing fountains, all separated from the hustle and bustle of road traffic. Ample parking was provided at the corners of the development. Mall security made sure there were no pickpockets or vagrants to accost you and your family. The improved environment also molded behavior (as modern-day indoor malls now do — no sandals, singlets or rough behavior). It became a weekend destination for a generation of modern Filipino families.
The success of Makati’s commercial center and the residential “villages” led the Ayalas to their last “village” — Magallanes. It had been separated from the rest of Ayala’s new Makati by the south highway. To buffer the village, the developers established a commercial zone and named it the Maranaw Commercial Center.
This was the first phase of what eventually became the Magallanes Commercial Center. The lessons learned from the original Makati Commercial Center were applied here. Landscape architect IP Santos, as well as architects like Carlos Arguelles, among others, were brought in to lend design flair to the center.
The realities of rain and sun were addressed by providing wide eaves to the arcades and crosswalks, which were also covered. The landscaped areas continued the high-value design Santos’ had provided for the original center, with numerous fountains, seating and public art. The mall became a popular venue for fashion shoots (shown in images that accompany this article). The floor patterns in pebble-washout finish and the circular seating were Santos trademarks.
At the very corner of the strip development was the Magallanes Theater. Designed by Carlos Arguelles, the large edifice was a landmark that defined the crossing of EDSA and South Super Highway until its demolition in the ‘90s. Designed in the modernist “brutalist” style reminiscent of the CCP’s massing, the theater was a popular venue for “first-run” movies and provided an alternative to the Rizal Theater. I remember watching several movies all thorugh the ‘70s and ‘80s and frequenting the Pancake House restaurant that was there.
The Maranaw Commerical Center was a huge success and eventually expanded to the south with bowling lanes, a car showroom, schools, a townhouse complex and a church designed by Leandro Locsin. This burned down in the ‘80s, was replaced by a temporary structure and today is replaced by an unique structure by architect Dom Galicia. It sits respectfully on the same floor plan as the original Locsin creation. There were other unique structures at Magallanes including a windmill — La Mancha restaurant. It was taken over by the German Club for a short while before that, too, disappeared.
In the ‘90s plans were afoot to turn the entire strip into a higher-density mixed-use complex. Residents in Magallanes were up in arms against this and the plans were shelved. In its stead is a hodge-podge combination of developments that has really dissipated the original substance and sense of place of the original.
The flyovers at the Magallanes junction have increased each decade. The MRT and the train lines add to the jumble of elevated roads and giant billboards. The commercial center still exists along with a smattering of small commercial buildings and still serves the community there but the original vibe is lost to our memories of the ‘70s.
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Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com. My exhibit “SM & QC: Vision of a City” is moving to SM Fairview — so all you Northern QCians can view it for another week!
