Hannah Kacey A.

Baluca Insight Paper #5

BUSMAN – 106 April 6, 2023

“Venice Grand Canal Mall: Italia in Manila”

Venice Grand Canal is a lifestyle mall developed by Megaworld Lifestyle Malls located within
Megaworld Corporation's 50-hectare McKinley Hill community in Taguig City. The Venice Grand Canal
is well-known for its design and architecture, and it is often regarded as the country's "most charming
mall." During our walking tour inside this famous and attractive mall, we went first to the ground floor,
where we can see the beautiful, long aisle of the man-made river. As I stroll along the mall with my
friends, I saw a lot of stores, restaurants, and shops along the hallway of the mall.

I particularly enjoyed the architecture of this mall since it makes me feel like I'm not in the
Philippines and instead in Venice, Italy. The mall's architectural design was consistent, and several of the
mural paintings I observed were very appealing. The architectural design of this mall, in my opinion,
makes it a highly popular tourist destination for travelers. Moreover, I loved the notion of Gondola trips,
where there is a medium-sized boat that can accommodate a maximum of 6 people. This Gondola ride
allows people to seat back and take in the beautiful scenery of this mall while having some quality time
with their friends and loved ones.

The mall also provides a broad food selection that appeals to the McKinley Hill community as
well as the lifestyle of its mall visitors, such as Italian restaurants and foreign restaurant alternatives. The
Grand Canal in Venice also houses a grocery, lifestyle retailer, a bookstore, services shops, novelty shops,
and health and fitness centers. The mall also has the country's first Fundador Café. And also, Venice
Grand Canal is a pet-friendly mall featuring amenities and activities created exclusively for pet owners
through its Pet Pass system.

When we went to the highest floor of the mall, we observed that the Venice Grand Canal is also a
popular entertainment venue. On the third floor of the mall, there is a Venice Cineplex with Dolby Atmos
and a Megaworld Lifestyle Malls Ultra Cinema with remote-operated high-end twin seats, based on what
we saw in the promotional posters of their cinema architecture. At first, I thought that this mall is small
because all I see from the posts of the people who went there is the famous river with the view of Italy-
inspired architecture, however, I was shocked because of how huge it was.
Hannah Kacey A. Baluca Insight Paper #5
BUSMAN – 106 April 6, 2023

Additionally, my favorite feature of the mall is the beautiful natural decorations incorporated, as
well as the outdoor parks and seats with tables. I also like that there is a kiddie train to cater to visitors
and tourists, as well as some arcade games to play outside. These outdoor activities could be done at the
Venice Piazza, which is a wonderfully refreshing spot to unwind and rest anytime you feel tired of
wandering throughout the mall. I also shot stunning pictures since, as I have seen, practically every corner
in the mall is a picture-perfect location.

This mall, in my opinion, is a not-so-ordinary mall because of the various activities that can be
done on the outside, and I think another special factor that I felt while roaming around is that even though
I was on the inside, I still felt like I was in the outdoors because of the various plant designs placed inside
the mall and the very bright lighting of the mall. I enjoy the elaborate design of the mall's railings since it
makes me feel like I'm in a modern but historic structure. Wandering around here is intriguing since it is
so different from my usual view. I was astounded by how clean everything looked to be, even how blue
the lake appeared to be. Every space was spotless, and everything was in its proper position, showing that
the entire establishment was well-designed and organized.

Another attraction we discovered while wandering around was the love bridge, where you may
leave love locks similar to those found on genuine Venice bridges. You may leave a print here and return
at any time in the future for that excellent memory regardless of the sort of love (family, friendly, or
romantic). And while wandering about, I can't help but take a pause and appreciate the scenery, because
why not? There are tables and seats scattered throughout the venue, so we took use of them while
simultaneously taking photographs. Views like these don't come around very often.

Overall, I admire the atmosphere, design, and architecture of this place; not only that, but the
spirit of what a mall looks like is still present; what makes this mall better is that it incorporated a highly
artistic and unique landscape that will leave people in wonder. The beauty of this has added to the
fantastic time I had while exploring with my friends.