Ananas New Community – Sweet Reality in the Philippines

Ananas New Community sounds like a sweet dream. But it is sweet reality in South-East Asia and situated around 50 kilometers south of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. According to the designer, Sasaki Associates, the idea behind Ananas New Community is a fundamental rearrangement between urban development and farmland. In order to improve quality of life and well-being, Ananas New Community offers several amenities such as, for example, extensive sport facilities, a cultural hub, retail, restaurants, and ecological corridors.

A close and ongoing engagement between the design and planning team, the client, the Mayor of Silang and town officials was characterizing the collaboration since the planning phase. “We were thrilled to work with a client who were open to bold ideas. They encouraged us to imagine a new kind of development for the Philippines, one that explored innovative ideas about community, natural system and urban form.” says Dennis Pieprz, Principal at Sasaki Associates.

From the beginning, the client was interested to celebrate the agricultural heritage of the site. Due to the short walking distances, residents are able to access their agricultural plot within two minutes. Community gardens are distributed linear within the plan with several plot types. Several types of agricultural use are supported through a combination of plot sizes:

1. Community supported agriculture initiatives (CSA’s)
2. Residential gardens
3. Farm-to-table restaurants
4. Local organic farming cooperatives

With a size of 247 hectares, the two award-winning Ananas New Community has been completed May 2015

The green roofs of residential buildings collect rainwater and provide a pleasant exterior space. By creating the necessary negative pressure in courtyard it is possible to maximize wind capture and cross ventilation.

The Philippine population and economy was growing continuously in recent decades. According to official statistics, the population is estimated to grow by 50 million people in the next 35 years. Manila, for example, is one of the rapidly expanding cities in the Philippines. These circumstances will be at the expense of agricultural land. These and other side effects should not be ignored.

In order to support a comfortable microclimate at the neighborhood and building scales, extensive research of the local environment and ecology has been conducted. As considered during the planning phase, the agricultural plots, eco-corridors and parks guarantee a recharge of the region’s aquifer and reduce flood risks. The needed negative pressure in courtyards for maximizing wind capture and cross ventilation has been simulated during the design process.

With Ananas New Community, Sasaki Associates received two awards:

1. Pierre L’Enfant International Planning Achievement Award, American Planning Association
2. Honor Award for Analysis and Planning, Boston Society of Landscape Architects