INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Urban design and urban planning are terms that you often see or hear when it comes to designing urban
space. To enlighten the readers, urban design refers to the art of creating and shaping a city, town, neighborhood,
or block of a town as it addresses the functional and aesthetic qualities of the physical environment of the area. It
is traditionally a subset of urban planning, landscape architecture, and architecture that is primarily concerned with
the planning and design of the public realm. It deals with all parts of the built environment where the public has
free access and includes parks, streets, squares, and other rights of way, whether in residential, commercial, or
civic uses (Ribeiro, 2021). The components of urban design are buildings, public spaces, streets, transport, and
landscape. Every town or city in all of the countries around the world implements an urban design. It gives character
and identity to the urban space through the design, arrangement, and connections of public spaces and buildings.
It shapes the community’s physical form by undergoing numerous various sets of objectives and interests through
the process of inclusive public decision-making. An urban design is considered as good and successful if it is able
to address the conditions within the boundaries of the project along with the effects of the urban design projects
concerning the larger environment. The urban design serves as a tool for effectively addressing the regional and
landscape-scale objectives as well.

According to Owen (2020), urban design is conducted through an explicit decision-making process that
offers the public the opportunity to participate in a meaningful way, identifies goals and objectives, analyzes existing
conditions, explores alternate concepts and solutions, evaluates options with respect to project goals and public
values, selects the preferred alternative or combines preferred elements into a synthesized concept, and includes
an implementation strategy. The urban design of a place has a local and global effect. For instance, the ecological
footprint of the urban space is determined by urban design, urban planning, and architecture. This paper contains
information to comprehend urban design specifically in the City of Manila.

The City of Manila is a coastal city known as the capital of the Philippines. Maynilad is the city’s original
name. It is derived from the nilad plant which is a flowering shrub that can live and adapt in areas with marshy
conditions such as the banks of the river. Then the name was shortened to Maynila. The climate in the City of
Manila has wet and dry seasons. The wet season lasts from July to November. July, August, and September are
the months when typhoons and thunderstorms commonly occur. While the dry season lasts from December to
May. The Pasig river cuts through the city. It is comprised of 6 administrative divisions that have 17 districts. The
City of Manila has a diverse high-density population. It is due to constant rural-urban migration. The majority of the
residents of Manila are Filipinos and one-tenth of the population is Chinese, the single largest foreign community
in the city. Predominantly, the population of the city is Roman Catholic, and there are Protestants, Muslims, and
Buddhists.

The composition of urban design and urban planning in the City of Manila is a reflection of its rich history.
The urban design and Architectural styles of the buildings show the influences of Spanish, Americans, Chinese,
Malaysians, post-colonial urban development, war and post-war developments, natural disasters that have
occurred, and rapid urbanization. The City of Manila has been the Philippines' access point to regional and
international mercantile activities and cultural exchange since the pre-colonial period. However, due to the
urbanization of other cities, Manila seems to be mostly unplanned, dense in terms of its built fabric, and blighted
slums, traffic jams, and polluted waterways (Morely, 2018). It may be overpopulated and some areas seem to be
unorganized but the City of Manila is considered the center of industrial development that has undergone rapid
economic development. Also, The City of Manila is where the house of the president is located, variety of residential
districts, and is an area with several universities.

Problem Setting

Manila is one of the urban areas that have a high-density population. The areas in Manila have various
sides as well. There are parks where you can hang out while being surrounded by greeneries. You can also watch
the beautiful sunset by Manila Bay. Then there are areas that have a unique kind of chaos such as the busy streets
of Binondo and Divisoria, a lively low-cost marketplace. The City of Manila is overpopulated and the majority of the
population is just above the poverty line which is alarming. Unfortunately, the city has a shortage of environmental
and economic resources to accommodate everyone living in the area. According to Basset (2021), there are
obvious financial problems when the population grows more quickly than decent employment. It also contributes
to serious environmental issues, like the city’s ongoing sinking.

The following parts under the problem setting state the problem that the researcher seeks to solve. It presents the
research questions, objectives of the study, scope and limitations, definitions of terms, assumptions, and
importance of the study. The said parts will enlighten the readers regarding the purpose of this concept paper and
what benefits they can acquire by reading it.

A. Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to analyze and comprehend why the City of Manila is considered one of Asia’s
sinking cities through the urban design assessment of the city such as by looking through the urban design
components, implementation, and urban design challenges in Manila.
B. Objectives of the Study

The study will provide a walk-through of the history and influences of the City of Manila’s urban
design. It aims to raise awareness among the readers regarding why Manila is considered one of Asia’s
sinking cities. The study aims to provide relevant information for a deeper understanding of the urban
design situation in Manila. The objective of this concept paper is to provide a series of concept windows
on how the readers may perceive and acknowledge the urban design of Manila as well as its urban design
gaps which will be helpful for the readers, especially the designers to come up with a solution to Manila’s
current state.

C. Scope and Limitations of the Study

The focus of this concept paper is to obtain valuable information regarding the urban design and
how it is implemented in the City of Manila by thoroughly assessing its background and influences, and
perceiving it through a set of conceptual lenses. The researcher will perform this study by acquiring
relevant and reputable information that will aid the readers to gain context regarding the current situation
of Manila’s urban design and situation. It will not contain any data about other cities apart from Manila
and data that is not relevant to the context of the research paper and materials that have not been
thoroughly assessed and confirmed.

D. Definition of Terms

Architecture - Is the art or practice of designing and constructing buildings. The practice of architecture
aims to fulfill both practical and expressive requirements as it acts as both utilitarian and aesthetic ends.

Built fabric - Refers to the structural materials that the building itself is made of.

Ecological footprint - The impact of human activities is measured in terms of the area of biologically
productive land and water required to produce the goods consumed and to assimilate the wastes
generated.

Landscape Architecture - The art and practice of designing the outdoor environment, especially
designing parks or gardens together with buildings and roads.

Public realm - The publicly owned places and spaces that belong to and are accessible by everyone.

Public good - The benefit or well-being of the public. It is non-rival and non-excludable.
 Socio-ecological - The scientific study or perspective of how social structure and organization are
influenced by an organism’s environment.

Sustainability - Fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future
generations, while ensuring a balance between economic growth, environmental care, and social well-
being.

Urban design - The design of towns and cities, streets and spaces. It is a collaborative and multi-
disciplinary process of shaping the physical setting for life - the art of making spaces.

Urban planning - This is a framework that helps leaders transform vision into implementation, using
space as a key resource for development and engaging stakeholders along the way. It creates thriving
and safe communities for the public.

E. Assumptions

The City of Manila is an overpopulated area and known for areas that have a poor urban design.
This dilemma is caused by a development issue since the majority of the sinking areas and areas that
are anticipated to sink are parts of reclamation projects to accommodate residential and commercial
industries. It is also sinking due to land subsidence as an effect of climate change. It is anticipated that
the City of Manila will submerge in the year 2030. The key dimensions of urban design that best describe
Manila are the temporal dimension, perceptual dimension, and visual dimension.

F. Importance of the study

This study will significantly enhance the reader's understanding and knowledge of urban design
by providing valuable information and relevant studies to the public. As a result, this will aid in developing
perspective and motivation in urban planning, urban design, and architectural-related events.

More particularly, this paper shall be beneficial to the following groups and individuals:

Architecture students and designers - This concept paper is beneficial when it comes to enhancing an
architecture student’s own set of perspectives through the various concept lenses that this concept paper
will provide in understanding the urban design of Manila as well as honing your critical thinking skills as
an architecture student or a designer. The research may also be helpful in generating ideas and ways on
how the designers can improve the urban design of Manila by acknowledging the gaps stated in this
study.
 Citizens and individuals in different fields of study - Through this study, the readers will be informed
as to why Manila is considered one of Asia’s sinking cities. It can be a helpful tool in giving inspiration and
motivation to the readers when thinking about the possible ways how they can improve the situation and
how they can effectively utilize their field of study in aiding this concern.

RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

Review of Related Literature

The review of related literature provides an overview of the existing knowledge, allowing the researcher
to identify relevant theories, methods, and gaps in the existing research papers. Thus, it helps the researcher (1)
articulate clear goals, (2) show evidence of adequate preparation, (3) select appropriate methods, (4) communicate
relevant results, and (5) engage in reflective critique (Maggio et al., 2016). This chapter presents the various studies
on the components of good urban design and the implementation of urban design in some of the cities in the
Philippines. It enables both the researcher and the readers to gain knowledge regarding this matter and to
understand its relevance to the concept paper topic.

A. Urban design and urban planning

Jaqueline Tyrwhitt is a British town planner, editor, and educator who contributed to developing a certain
array of ideas in diverse geographic locations, cultures, institutional settings, and personal relationships. Tyrwhitt
shared her insights and knowledge as she travels to other countries and one of them is the humanistic and
ecological approaches to urban and regional planning. Walter Gropius, a German-American architect believes that
planning education should be related to physical design, and landscape architecture became indiscernible with
physical planning. Also, Joseph Sert stated his decision that the school must teach physical planning only and get
external help to learn about the remaining related subjects as a way of maximizing the limited finances of the
school during that time. Tyrwhitt disagreed with their architectural biases. According to Shoshkes (2013), Tyrwhitt
states that without a structurally creative imagination even the best collection, analysis and synthesis of place, folk
and work could not result in a worthwhile habitat for man. Tyrwhitt’s perspective on historical sites serves as
“evidence of continuity” of ancient culture in modern society (Shoshkes, 2013). Tyrwhitt has two lines of reasoning
which are concerning people’s needs and current trends affecting development.

B. Urban design thinking

A series of conceptual windows that provides a fresh perspective on urban design is beneficial for the
researcher and the readers. Dovey (2016), discusses various theoretical principles with real-life examples of urban
design in his book. It enables the readers to understand how a city works and how design practices transform and
affects them. It also enlightens the readers on how good theories can serve as a foundation for effectively designing
a town or a city and understanding urban life. The approaches for urban design could be a reflection and
assessment regarding urban design critique and practice. It also encourages the readers and designers to develop
critical thinking regarding urban design which allows them to be mindful of whether their design is beneficial to the
multidisciplinary zone of practice that has a broad scale and focuses on the connections and relationship between
buildings and spaces. Lastly, what matters the most in creating a public space is how it functions as a whole. The
co-functioning of the structures and spaces and their accessibility to various occupants should be prioritized in
urban design thinking.

2.1 Urbanity

The term ‘urban’ came from the Latin word called urbanus which means courteous. The term ‘city’ came
from the Latin word called ciuis which means citizen and shares a common origin with the terms ‘civil’ and ‘civilized’
which means that to be civil is to be courteous. The Greek word for ‘city’ is polis which means that the city is
regulated through politics and policy. The term ‘public’ came from a Latin word called publicius which means
‘belonging to the people’. The following terms that are defined refer to the urban public space and urban design
shapes the urban public space. Diversity of identity, class, ethnicity, age, ability, or politics should not be a matter
of barrier since public space is shared in common. According to Dovey (2016), public space is the primary site
where a sense of the ‘common’ becomes embodied in everyday life before it becomes ‘community’.

2.2 Access, Mix, and Density

The interaction and relationship between access, mix, and density are often referred to in the more object-
oriented language of urban planning concerning built form, land use, and transport. It is considered a conceptual
triangle of connectivity, co-functioning, and concentration. The diversity of individuals in different places who co-
function leads to the formation of connections that are essential between the diversity of individuals and places. It
can also be viewed as a triangle of forms, functions, and flows. The densities of built form are largely congruent
with population densities and transport flows (Dovey, 2016). Access, mix, and density are necessary but not
adequate preconditions for urban life.

2.3 Discourse

According to Dovey (2016), The image of the city embodies forms of representation. It develops our
understanding regarding it. The city has various forms of symbolic representation that denote the way we view it.
There are instances wherein the city may not be perceived in ways intended by the designers. There is also a
possibility that the perception of the people towards it may change over time. It applies to words and meanings
since it modifies through time as well. Media can also influence the construction of meaning through the mass
production of ideas, replacing the role of architects and urbanism. The concept of discourse includes the aspect of
urban form, fashion, and behavior that serves as communication systems. The discourse theory explores
language, concerning how words and meanings affect each other.
C. Good urban design

A good urban design can be a factor in economic growth and regeneration since it is the basis for
measuring welfare or utility which incorporates economic, social, and environmental considerations. The
emergence of different social and economic trends may lead to a poorly designed urban environment. Such as
individualism over collectivism, and privatization of the spaces, life, and culture that results in the recession of the
public realm. Environment and culture undergo a reciprocal process. The choices and actions made by individuals
through time will contribute to shaping the identity and culture of an area as well as its impact on the environment.
It can be achieved by addressing the occupants’ demands, reducing management, maintenance, energy, and
security costs, establishing mixed-use elements in developments to provide more opportunities for the occupants,
efficiency and accessibility, and ideally perceived as a public good. These are only a few of the qualities and
components of a good urban design. The following parts will delve deeper into some components of good design.

3.1 Sustainability

Integrating the environment in urban planning and management can not only be beneficial for a certain
town or city but rather globally. It affects the upsurge levels of resource efficiency, globally or locally which is helpful
in diminishing the overall environmental impact; concerning the whole process of production and consumption of
goods and services. Acknowledging how the city operates characterizes the co-benefits when it comes to social
and economic benefits that can be produced by determining and addressing global environmental problems. The
report written by Dalal-Clayton et al. (2013), listed several aspects and ways of environmental rehabilitation along
with its benefits. Being knowledgeable regarding the effective planning of a city or town to provide efficiency to the
lives of its occupants while minimizing their ecological footprints is essential. Through this, it allows for the
improvement of health benefits and quality of life for the occupants. Dalal-Clayton et al. (2013), provided a list of
questions that the government and other professions in urban planning can use to come up with a better solution
and implementation. Urban design is a continuous process of developing and redeveloping places as it is affected
by the occurring changes locally or globally.

3.2 Key dimensions of urban design.

The first key dimension of urban design is the temporal dimension. It implies that the environment is
constantly changing and it is important there should still be a degree of continuity and stability. It is crucial to
understand the effects of the day and night cycle of activities during each season whenever you intend to facilitate
or encourage the use of urban environments. The perceptual dimension discusses the individual's environmental
perception as well as how these images are created and developed along with the meaning behind them. It refers
to the social construction of the place with regard to the sense of place and the opposite. Such sensations refer to
the simple life experiences obtained from environmental stimuli. The Morphological Dimension deals with the
arrangement of urban form and space, along with the spatial patterns of infrastructure that uphold it. The visual
dimension refers to the visual character of the urban environment determined by the combination of spatial and
visual qualities, artifacts, and overall relationships. The social dimension discusses the relationship between space
and society through urban design. The functional dimension refers to designing healthier environments by
designing and establishing mixed-use developments with related issues at an adequate density. The design
governance dimension discusses the mechanism of state-sanctioned involvement in the process of designing the
built environment having the public’s interest as the basis of the process and outcomes. Lastly, The place
production dimension describes the role and relationship in the course of generating a new development along
with the involvement of the real estate as they utilize the ‘pipeline’ model of the development process.

D. Approaches to urban design in the Philippines

When the early shelters of the Filipinos emerged, there is a variety of dwellings in their community.
Creating a sense of community became a way of establishing their identity, culture, tradition, livelihood, religion,
and politics. Thus, how they arranged the structures within their area is a reflection of their attempt to practice
urban design. It continued through several colonization periods in the Philippines namely Spaniards, Americans,
and Japanese.

4.1 American Imperialism: City Beautiful Movement

Daniel Burnham was an American architect and urban planner who introduced City Beautiful Movement
in the Philippines. It is first implemented in Baguio and Manila. According to Navarro (2014), The proposal also
recommended mixed-use space and explained the functions of tree-lined streets, parks, waterways, and
waterfronts. The idea is for every resident to be within a short walking distance from a park, places of work, and
leisure areas. Though Burnham’s plan for the development and management of urban Manila was interfered with
due to war. When it is implemented, it consists of various fundamental architectural and spatial elements. The
introduced plan has a civic core, wide radial avenue, landscape promenades, and visually arresting panoramas.
According to Morley (2018), urban design in the Philippines, like that in the United States was highly systematized.
Placing the Philippine society along with the United States with regard to urban design became a locale central to
the internationalization of the City Beautiful paradigm and urban planning model. The established layouts of
buildings and spaces depict extensive use of symmetry. The public spaces are standardized in terms of layout and
appearance. For instance, the sites are usually rectangular in form, commonly consisting of greeneries such as
lawns, and the perimeters are marked by a line/s of trees. Ian Morley’s work enlightens the readers by expounding
the meaning of modern American city planning in the Philippines as well as its distribution throughout the
archipelago concerning colonial governmental ideals, social advancement, and the shaping of national identity. It
became beneficial in enriching the urban civilization in the Philippines. Consequently, the City Beautiful urban
design in the Philippines influenced city planning schemes at about the same time in Australia and the United
States (Morley, 2018).
4.2 Socio-ecological urban design approach in Metro Manila

Numerous typhoons occur in the Philippines each year and the impact of these natural disasters exposes
the informal urban dwellers who reside along the boundaries of the city, waterways, and shorelines to high risk
whenever it occurs. The areas with a high density such as Metro Manila that natural disasters have damaged lead
to urban resilience, raising the attention of economists, engineers, ecologists, and designers. According to Gray &
Ocampo (2017), Literature that bridges design and resilience has mostly responded to a critique of design as being
overly “in the service of narrowly defined human interests but having neglected its relationship with our fellow
creatures.”. This is essential when criticizing urban design using an ecologically-based perspective. Jeopardizing
socio-spatial factors determine the resilience of complex and evolving societies. Developing concepts of resilience
derived from ecological and social science perspectives and positioning urban design as the designated discipline
for integrating and rationalizing concepts of urban design resilience can be a way to bridge the gap in urban
resilience (Gray & Ocampo, 2017). It is the responsibility of urban designers to give form and order to the future.
Regardless of the complex nature of urban design, urban designers tried to connect the natural and social systems
in developing an urban form. It encourages other urban design scholars to conceive more resilient cities for the
occupants. Also, it measures the urban designer's accountability potential in providing solutions to problems they
aim to address. According to Gray & Ocampo (2017), their research intentionally blurs the boundaries between
ecological, social, and spatial phenomena and aim to demonstrate the latent potential in taking a socio-ecological
urban design approach to resilience that imagines more efficient, equitable, and integrated urban environments.

4.3 Urbanization challenges

According to research, the Philippine urban development planning and implementation concentrated on
housing development rather than the development of other forms of physical infrastructure such as the
implementation of efficient transport networks that are beneficial for the public realm. There are various key
problems concerning economic and environmental infrastructures that make certain cities of the Philippines prone
to climate change risks as well as experiencing its effects. Also, the urban areas of the Philippines are considered
as growth centers when it comes to job opportunities and income. However, the majority of the urban population
lies above the poverty line and has a possibility of being in that line too. It states that this is a result of poor urban
planning and design and uncoordinated government response.

E. Examples of good urban design in the Philippines

The United Land Institute case study on Bonifacio Global City (BGC) discusses why it is one of the most
valuable assets of Philippine development. The Fort Bonifacio Development Corporation or FBDC has four key
goals. The first one is to invest in a neighborhood that is a density-controlled environment, zoning plan, pedestrian
system plan, and vehicular access plan. Second is a city that works by having all power underground utilities,
drainage systems, wastewater treatment, continuous supply of power system, traffic and neighborhood monitoring
system, and estate services. The third one is a neighborhood designed for people with open space and active
street life prioritized by establishing mixed-use spaces and buildings, key public buildings and parks, Sports
facilities, and BGC Greenway that has 1.6 km long public space for walking, jogging, and serves as a safe
evacuation area. Lastly, creating a city with a soul is achieved through an array of cultural and arts-based activities.
ULI (2020) states that one of BGC’s current successes was because the original owner group adopted an ambitious
plan featuring a defined set of principles that called for the project to be mixed-use, human-oriented, dense with
usable open space, and feature high-quality design and construction guidelines. BGC is the country’s second
largest Central Business District since it is an area of various prime retail, hotel, and residential facilities. For
instance, Bonifacio High Street is a one-kilometer promenade with low-density retail and entertainment for leisure
and recreation with green open space. It is accessible on foot from all parts of the BGC, making it the main center
of activity.

Cagayan de Oro City implemented a participatory urban design to integrate organic solid waste
management into urban agriculture in three communities. According to Tramhel (2012), the Asset-Based
Community Development or ABCD approach in a project is well-suited as a participatory urban design tool for the
development of resilient and sustainable cities as it is consistent with the basic principles of urban design. The
objectives are satisfied through a series of lectures, hands-on training, and field trips. The communities faced
challenges in waste management and arising health risks due to improper waste management. The planning tools
that are utilized by the municipalities are land use zoning along with the principles of designing with nature and
creating continuous productive urban landscapes (Tramhel, 2012). In addition, the guiding design principle for
these projects is environmental sustainability. Involving the occupants in the projects of urban design encourages
unity within the community. Thus, the occupants are able to gain knowledge and help conserve their environment.

F. Manila, a sinking city

This article states why Manila is at risk of becoming an underwater city. The Philippines is one of the
countries that is often exposed to hazards like rising sea levels and natural disasters such as flooding, typhoon,
and earthquakes. The following concerns are claimed to be more frequent and stronger due to climate change.
There are extensive groundwater excavation projects that took place in the 1900s and 2000s. Although it is banned
in 2015, the demand for water supply continues to rise as the population continues to grow. The effect of such
activities leads to continuous land subsidence in some areas in Manila, specifically the coastal areas in the
Northern half of the coastal city. Aside from that improper waste disposal clogs the creeks and pollutes the
waterways which need to be constantly maintained by pumping stations to prevent the area from the flood.
According to CNA (2020), Felino Palaxos Junior is an architect and urban planner who stated that there is good
planning but there are no implementations or updating of those plans. He also believes that reducing Manila’s
urban density is the solution. Developing other growth centers and relocating government offices to other regions
will lessen the congestion in Manila. It is an article that provides knowledge and raises awareness among its
readers about what the City of Manila is going through and how alarming the situation they are in is. Lastly, it is an
article that leaves a strong impression on its readers since the leading individuals of relevant professions state
their opinions and perspective regarding this matter.
Synthesis

As previously discussed, the urban design approach should take into consideration the background and
relationship of the users concerning the social aspects of where it is to be established and implemented. Acquiring
an array of ideas from diverse geographic locations, cultures, institutional settings, and personal relationships helps
urban designers to learn more and design the area appropriately with respect to the stated factors of consideration.
Despite the long years of trying to understand urban design and its application to all countries, there are gaps that
still need to be filled and rectified. Such as redirecting the focus of the urban development planning to implement
developments that are beneficial for the public realm and the overall effect of the projects on the environment. It is
essential to continuously remind and encourage the designers that having a good and effective core theory of an
urban design process can evolve and adapt to achieve the ideal sustainable environment. It helps the readers to
always keep in mind that how the neighborhood or a city functions as a whole is what matters the most in creating
an urban public space. The co-functioning of the structures and spaces and their accessibility to various occupants
should be prioritized in urban design thinking. Thus, the relevant studies give the reader a context on the concept
of urban design, its importance, and how it defines a neighborhood or a city.

Conceptual Framework

The conceptual framework is expressed in the spider concept map. The concept paper is utilizing the
lenses of urban design thinking concept, key dimensions of urban design, and sustainability in the case study:
urban design in Manila City, Philippines. The following concepts will be helpful in understanding and analyzing why
the urban design of Manila City ended up in this state.
 A. Hypothesis

The hypothesis of the study is aside from the temporal, perceptual, visual, and social dimensions
of urban design. The arrangement of the urban form and space, along with the spatial patterns of
infrastructure that uphold it says a lot about the environment inside the city and how the occupants and
travelers feel as they move around the city. The city experiences ongoing sinking since land submersion
is faster than the rise of sea level which exposes the city to a higher risk of flooding, especially in the
areas that are below sea level. There are areas that are rapidly sinking due to groundwater extraction that
occurred in the 1900s and 2000s on the Northern half of the metro’s coast. Manila is an overpopulated
area and the sinking areas and areas that are nearly sinking are parts of development projects such as
reclaimed lands. For instance, Dagat-Dagatan used to be a communal fishing ground prior to the
implementation of reclamation projects. This is where better planning and design of development step in
and try to prevent the worst from happening.

RESEARCH DESIGN

The study aims to obtain the context regarding the City of Manila’s urban design in order to understand
why it ended up as one of Asia’s sinking cities and provide a fresh perspective on how the designers can address
the crisis that the city is currently going through. This will be attained through Mixed Methods Research, the
collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. The researcher will gather information about the elements of
urban design of the city such as buildings, public spaces, streets, transport, and landscape in Manila based on
primary and secondary sources such as articles, photographs, and official records to assess the urban design
challenges in the City of Manila. The research will also look into the implemented urban design strategy and
approach in the said city by using the conceptual lenses of the key dimensions of urban design. Obtaining the said
information will be helpful in analyzing why the City of Manila is sinking, comprehending why it ended up in that
state, and emphasizing the gaps that are found in the research.