imated neon signages enlivened the streetscape, building design along this street is ideal for our tropical setting. The arcaded or covered sidewalks made strolling in the city comfortable. When FM Atienza embarked on a renewal project for this street, the vehicular traffic was rerouted elsewhere, and the buildings along Avenida became the centerpiece. Now that traffic is back, stress is reintroduced. People won’t have the time to pause for a moment to appreciate their surroundings. Ignorant people can now sneakily demolish another valuable building along Avenida without us noticing it. The claim that the pedestrianized Avenida invited prostitution is hard to believe, because it has always been there even before it was redeveloped. Now that it is back to its old chaotic state, authorities will have a hard time policing the areas because of so many obstructions, as compared to having just an open space and people. If we are to revive this street and able to convince Mayor Lim to consider the value of the street, as a place rather than as a road, Avenida can be a starting point for the psychedelic movement. In my correspondence with P.Laurel, the proponent behind the Manila Center for the Arts, she expressed her wish to have a streetscape as colorful as the street scene in Salvador de Bahia, Brazil (The photo I posted under “A Call for a Psychedelic Manila”). The objective is to have a similar approach to the street but produce an output that is more “Pinoy.” I have seen heritage buildings abroad revived in newer or fresher colors, it is a wish that we see the same thing done to ours. But what if, we dress up our buildings the same way we dress up our jeepneys, tricycles or calesas? If you compare the jeepney with a car, the jeepney will appear gaudy and sometimes we even call it “baduy.” But not if we let this “baduy” aesthetic engulf our streetscape. Of course, the Manila Street Gallery will take part while the buildings host expressions of Filipino creativity. Imagine slogans, street language, caricatures, and comic illustrations painted on the walls of Avenida buildings. One building can even have many colors and revive its neon signages.
Photo of Avenida by SeafoodCup of Flickr
l want a city experience that is romantic because its architectural heritage enriches street life. Unfortunately, LRT is what a lot of Manila experience is all about. A massive spine of elevated concrete that overpowers every street it dissects. LRT led to demise of Taft and Avenida because of unattractive street life and low land values.
From one station to the next, the concourse walls can host a work of an artist or two. The artworks are to be labeled by the name of its author. This way we don’t just bring color to the drab street of Manila, finding a place might become easier by being a bit more specific. In this example, you can simply find a building along Taft Avenue by referring to Taft – Dela Rosa Street Gallery. Also, the place can be more encouraging to setup shops because there is a massive artwork / attraction in front of them. Points of interest along this stretch can also be strengthened. In front of Philippine Women’s University, the concourse can be painted by the best of its visual arts students, thus naming this area, Taft –PWU Street Gallery. Same principle can be applied for De-La Salle University, Sta. Isabel College and other areas of the LRT. Imagine how this colored concourse can complement the equally colorful Metropolitan Theatre.
In response to FFL Imelda Marcos’ “bringing art to common man” the idea of a street gallery can make Art accessible to everybody, rich and poor. The masses are given the opportunity to appreciate art without having to pay fees in a museum or feeling alienated in an air-conditioned gallery. Hopefully, this huge public art will inspire everybody to make art or paint Manila the same way. 
their ability to express themselves in Music and Art. I want that to surface in the cityscape of Manila. I thought if Brazil has its colorful heritage town of Salvador de Bahia that celebrates African Heritage through music, drums and art, why not use it as an inspiration? We already started with the houses along SLEX that are grouped in colors through the project, Metro “Gwapo” (handsome). If we can push this endeavor a bit further, introduce more colors, we can probably strengthen the aesthetic we created for the jeepneys or the calesas. I personally never liked isolated murals, commonly seen on walls of schools, because I always found it dirty. But what if we exaggerate it? Hallucinate and drown ourselves with the colors of our culture. That way, the collective experience of these murals is stronger. Invest in the talents of our artists and creative pinoys! The garish jeepney might become more at home (although still, environmentally unfriendly) if we let Manila and its dwellers burst its true colors.
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Water Lilies
We walk on what seems to be discs floating above Edsa. The discs give the elevated street a lighter impression. The openings provide daylight to the road and concourse underneath. Instead of the usual overpass, or elevated access, the discs can seemingly hover towards the second level of the buildings along Edsa. Imagine a vibrant street life on the discs. Enjoy the sights of cafes and restaurants people walking, jogging, or biking. At night, the underside of the discs emits yellow light providing the floor surface a diffused glow.
Flores de Yellow
If trees are not possible, let’s use vines! We construct giant arbors where yellow flowering plants can creep or crawl on. The elevated walkway or street becomes like a stretched tree canopy where you see movements of people inside. It will be an elongated blob that will soften our perception of the concrete MRT concourse. For access and overpass, the blob can stretch to
reach both sides of the road.
EDSA is a major artery that connects North and South of Metropolitan Manila.
Whether you drive a car, commute or ride the MRT, Edsa will always be the highway we either dread to go (because of terrible traffic) or the highway we dread to go (because of visual, air and noise pollution). I just can’t imagine liking it, except for one very rare moment. When my friends parked in front of Megamall and walked comfortably on the car-less thoroughfare towards Robinsons to join its last and coolest Street Party, Erap’s Despedida. I also remember the yellow themed EDSA People Power in 1986.The road was still very wide and flooded with people wearing yellow shirts holding yellow flowers and banners.
Edsa today is defined by a Metro Rail Transit concourse that splits the road into two. Stand on one side of the road and you will feel a bit lost and alienated. In order to cross, you will have to go two flights of up and another two flights of down on the pedestrian overpass. Let’s just say, it is trying to be consistent with the undulating levels of the MRT concourse. Despite traffic, Edsa is still categorically, a highway. Being a major spine that serves more than 50% (I think) of the commuting and driving population, it opened some areas for business opportunities even without the presence of decent sidewalks. For now, the road connects major commercial, financial shopping centers of Metro Manila but sooner or later, Edsa will be a long road of side by side mixed-use developments. This is evinced by the several condominium buildings along Edsa that take advantage of the MRT’s proximity.
Ideally, MRT should be underground. This way, street-life is more visually pleasing because it enjoys natural daylight.
Another issue Edsa faces is visual pollution. Billboards, static or moving are everywhere. I remember a British photographer’s note of his photo of Morayta’s billboards, at the corner of Espana. He sarcastically said that you will never find billboards, these many and high in
Time to do something! (MetroFlex)
Seen in the many buildings and homes being constructed all over the Metro show that the
