Achieving Garden City Status for Quezon City: A Proposed Ecological Masterplan for the 'Green Lungs' of Metro Manila

The garden city concept was created to improve the quality of life in growing urban centers. Several cities in the world (i.e. Singapore) reached its garden city status through a strong political will and participative approach in its conceptualization. The project explores the possibility of achieving a garden city status for Quezon City through a proposed ecological masterplan. The study uses garden city indicators (from Singapore) and landscape metrics as basis for the ecological masterplan in order to formulate solutions that will enhance the existing baseline of Quezon City's indicators. Using geographic information system mapping, landscape metrics were used to determine the different ecological patches of the city. Through a response framework and design interventions, a conceptual master development plan was develop that features connection of the city’s ecological cores through several ecological design strategies.

This design endeavor serves as a guide and calls for an integration of multiple disciplines and inter-coordination among government offices, national agencies, private developments, and local government units in prioritizing areas of for conservation and in refocusing community efforts for future development.