A southern home where city life blends with nature

In a time when work dominates most people’s schedules and the younger generation grows more frustrated with daily traffic that consumes hours, developers have stepped in to create solutions. Their aim is to decongest the metropolis and build new business districts outside already crowded areas. These emerging centers then become multipliers of opportunity, offering better access to education, work and homes that fit the needs of modern living.

Not too far south of Metro Manila, more people are choosing to invest in communities where greenery is preserved, life moves at a calmer pace, and families can build a sense of purpose. Metro Nuvali officially broke ground on 21 November, marking a new chapter in sustainable development. Two hundred hectares of the 2,500 hectare eco community will rise as a forward looking model of what city life can mean. Meean Dy, president and chief executive officer of Ayala Land, reflected on past projects and the lessons they brought, sharing that “when you anchor growth on people, connection and sustainability, you unlock progress that lasts.” This continues to guide their work as they strive to enrich the lives of the communities they build.

Nuvali’s transformation introduces three distinct districts that will shape a new metropolitan center in the South. The Lakeside District spans 100 hectares and is envisioned as a vibrant destination for shopping, dining, and recreation, with Ayala Malls Nuvali set to expand through nearly 50,000 square meters of new retail, including a multi level wing and wellness venues alongside the lakeside hotel and upcoming office developments. Ayala Land senior vice president and Leasing and Hospitality group head Mariana Zobel de Ayala shared that the future mall is designed around what people value most: connection, nature, and time well spent. During the event, their new emblem was also unveiled as Ayala Malls chief executive officer Paul Birkett described the shift as a reinvention aimed at staying future ready as the new central business district takes shape.

The nearby Central District covers 40 hectares and will rise as the commercial and cultural core of Metro Nuvali. It will offer modern office towers, collaborative workspaces, and a three hectare Central Park that expands the community’s green network. Completing the landscape is the 60 hectare Civic District, home to the Santa Rosa Civic Complex, which will house a satellite city hall, convention center, hotel, command center, and the Nuvali Parish Church, all with convenient access to the Casile to Tagaytay route.

A historic first for Ayala, half of Nuvali’s 2,500 hectares will be preserved as green space. Parks and open landscapes will serve as lasting gifts not only to future generations but to the environment. This promotes a lifestyle where walking, biking, picnics, and family time become easier, as work, school, and leisure blend seamlessly within one community

So why Nuvali? “The Calabarzon region is special because it is the second fastest growing in the country, highly connected as the South’s gateway,” said Christopher Maglanoc, Ayala Land Estates Senior Vice President and Group Head. With Nuvali becoming the preferred address for a new generation, this marks only the beginning. Much like Bonifacio Global City and Cebu Business Park, what once started as open land will, in the years to come, rise as the South’s next major urban center.