The new Clark International Airport is important for several reasons:

1. It’s the fruit of the first public-private partnership awarded under the Duterte Administration.

2. The consortium that operates it, the Luzon International Premier Airport Development Corporation or LIPAD, is formed by companies with a track record in property development and air travel: Filinvest Development Corporation, JG Summit Holdings Inc., Philippine Airport Ground Support Solutions Inc. and Changi Airports Philippines(I) Pte. Ltd. (a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi Airports International).

3. It’s a key architecture, symbolic almost, of the energies invested in New Clark: the envisioned first green, sustainable, and intentionally disaster-resilient city in the country, according to the Bases Conversion and Development Authority.

More spacing and circulation

From the design architect developing the concept and initial design documents, Casas+Architects, Inc. was the local architect and interior designer of record, which means they were directly responsible for the construction documents, code compliance, material selections and providing construction administration services.

“Despite the COVID-19 pandemic challenges, the project moved forward,” Casas+Architects, Inc. said via email. They made sure to manage the workforce even more thoughtfully, increasing off-site construction of elements that could then just be installed, securing critical materials and long-lead items, identifying alternative suppliers, and adjusting schedules. “The most significant changes to construction, however, went beyond hygiene and safety; we focused on remote work and digital tools to facilitate the continuity of construction projects.”