What MOA Can Teach Us About the Next Era of Urbanization

29 April 2025 – The next generation of great cities will not happen by chance. They will be built deliberately—planned as integrated ecosystems where living, working, leisure, and commerce are seamlessly connected. In the Philippines, few developments reflect this shift more clearly than the Mall of Asia (MOA) complex in Pasay City.

Across a single district, MOA brings together a rare convergence: the sprawling SM Mall of Asia, the landmark MOA Arena, the five-star Conrad Manila, the E-Com office clusters, and a growing network of residential and hospitality developments. Soon, the addition of the SMX Center for International Trade and Exhibitions (SMXCITE) will expand MOA’s role even further. Designed to accommodate up to 18,000 guests, SMXCITE will double SMX’s exhibition footprint and position MOA as the country’s premier hub for global trade shows, conferences, and business events—comparable to Southeast Asia’s leading convention centers.

Strategically rising beside SMXCITE is SMDC’s Ice Tower Residential-Office. Its location is no coincidence. For Ice Tower owners, immediate proximity to the country’s largest events center means access to a year-round stream of businesses, entrepreneurs, and international delegates. Units here will have the built-in advantage of higher rental demand, business flexibility, and strong resale potential—qualities that few other addresses in Metro Manila can replicate.

This ripple effect extends to other SMDC developments in the complex as well, such as Sail Residences, offering waterfront-inspired living near commerce, and Shore 3 Residences, an expansive enclave with resort-style amenities at the heart of a business and leisure corridor.

In a market where location alone is no longer enough, MOA gives a real-world glimpse of what tomorrow’s cities will need: being close to where industries are growing, having easy access to business and leisure hubs, and living in communities designed for long-term growth and connection. Owning a condo within this complex means living in a district built for real growth—where businessopportunities, tourism, and everyday life all come together.

The future of urban value will not be determined by geography alone, but by ecosystems—and MOA is proving how that future can be built.