Photos Courtesy of Langdon & Seah

The Zuellig Building, a $171-million, 33-story office building in the Makati Central Business District in Manila, was the first building in the Philippines to be pre-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council.

The building's facade is made of double-pane, low-emissivity glass cladding with ceramic frits that appear to be decorative stickers but actually serve as sunscreens. The design team used frits that resemble bamboo patterns to create a distinctly Asian look. "The creative use of glass using state-of-the art solutions was commendable," one of the judges in ENR's competition said.

Location Makati City, Philippines

Project Team 

Owner Bridgebury Realty Corp., Makati City, Manila

Lead Design Firm Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, LLP, New York

General Contractor Leighton Contractors Philippines, Inc., Makati City

Structural Engineers Meinhardt Philippines, Inc., Makati City

Consultants Langdon and Seah Philippines, Inc., Makati City (LEED Consultant); WV Coscolluela & Associates, Makati City (Architect of Record)