Wow, Imagine a Lagos or Abuja like this in 5-20 years time,

Le Phillipe, in your dreams

It's highly possible. political stabilty, Right investments, safety, transparency, a Leader that Envisions and Lagos/Abuja will be 10 times better than Manila. It's not complicated, a lot of people always make this problems seem difficult and irreversible, but the truth is the problems of Nigeria are more simple than Fractions

Yeah, its as simple as ABC, until you factor in contractors doing a shoddy job, or contract money not being paid, thus leaving an elephant project abandoned. Oh, you should remember that every leader from Nigeria wont be willing to further the project of their predecessor, but in a bid to 'make a name for themselves' would embark on a new project, thus abandoning the previous projects for good.

All hope is not lost sha!!!

You are talking about contractors, but are contractors the root of the problem, are corrupt buisness men the root of the problem? , I don't think so . It is easy to talk about these small things as the problem, and then say that they need to be fixed, when one should focus on the root of the problem, which shall inevitably correct all the problems. Nigeria is not in a state of irreversible backwardness, as a lot of Nigerians suggest, like i said provided there is political stabilty, Right investments, safety, transparency, resource allocations(detrmined by population and population alone) etc. and society is healed, then these small things will pick up

Contractors may not necessarily be the root of the problem, but they are part of the cabal that has led to the descent of Nigeria into the pit. They are notorious for shoddy jobs in Nigeria, some of them would just pour cement and sand, water and some other stuff, and pave the roads. During the rainy season, the roads get flooded, and now, you are stating that they are not the root of the problem? If they cant build good roads in Naija, how can they be entrusted in erecting skyscrappers that would rival that of Manilla.

Like I wrote earlier, all hope is not lost.

When i said root of the problem, I didn't mean root of the construction problem, but rather the root of all the problems in Nigeria. Ill built buildings and ill maintained buildings are only a part of the vast problem.

They are the root of the problem in the architectural arena, since, they are assigned the task of paving roads and erecting structures. That's their department. If a building collapses in Nigeria, are you going to blame the government for an assignment they did not physically undertake? Sure, they could hire dependable architects, but the proof of the pudding is in eating it.

I am an architecture student in Trinity College, Dublin. I have designed a new building which i think would be truly unique to Lagos. How do I show it to the people who matter?

That's easy, you should draw out more renders, with the specifications and all. But do you work for a group? or are you an individual. If you're in a group then you can just attract several investors and maybe even pursuade the Government to susidize the project. On the other hand if you happen to be an individual, it's not al bad, just show you sketches to some architectural firms who maybe interested, if they are pleased then they'll get right on it and start developing your idea, they'll start marketimng it and start brainstorming possible contractors and an ideal location for you project. Another way you could go vy this, is to reveal it to business men for example who would be interested in the project and would gladly finance it for you. Try contacting Afro Vision, They are looking for new talents and their head architect; Chi Iromuanya.

I can give you his number if you want

More pics of Manila





Mall of Asia, Night








Metro Manila Project

Thanks alot but I don't i'll go through. Its a giant mall which might cost too much to build and not get enough support oh well, maybe when I am president of Naija.

There is a project, that is supported by the world bank that will see the construction of many movie theatres and shopping malls, these are already guanranteed to be funded, so if you were to hand in your design to be part of the project, then it would probably get built, that's if it is good enough. I forgot the company involved, but it's about the Lagos reconstruction and the new master plan

Mo' Pics





























And--------


[size=16pt]This is one awesome pic[/size]


The there's this batch










--------------That's that-----------

Couple More

couple Mo' Pix

@ dblock,

Are there anymore pictures Don't know if you will be reading this message but how you come about visiting that country? You went w/ friends Anyhow, again, thanks for sharing this lovely pictures. And it would be nice to see more pictures like markets, places that others mentioned living in poverty. Not of course to judge but maybe to see this places even in pictures, one will again appreciate what he/she have, Again, thanks a million.

I visited the Philippines with my family and a Sierra Leonian family. I went there for holidays, and I met a Nigerian-Filipino family there. They lived in Quezon City.I stayed in Makati and it was fantastic. The shopping was great, great quality and cheap clothes. I met that Nigerian-Filipino family again in Papua new Guinea, there are a lot of Filipinos in Papua New Guinea.

Philippines is safe, it's not like what is sometimes potrayed on TV. You have streets with guards patrolling regularly. And there are armored Army Trucks in the commercial districts. I have many Filipino friends. I noticed that Filipinos love basketball, one of my mates Adel Lagayan, could easily make it into the NBA.

I'll post some more Pictures

Those huge glitzy buildings can't sucessfully mask the high rate of unemployment that has plagued the Phillipines. I have heard that survival in the Philipines is rougher than it is in Lagos state. If you travel for a long time, you will come back to see people inhabiting your house. To avoid being evicted from your house, before travelling, have a caretaker to watch over your house. Can you believe this? I don't think such desperation has creeped into Lagos state, apart from unscrupulous people seizing each other's land.

See, having nice buildings, as I posed on this thread, https://www.nairaland.com/nigeria?topic=52256.msg1112060#msg1112060, does not necessarily mean that a country is developing. People get carried away by the artificial beauty of a country, littered with fancy high rises, while the grassroots are stucked in poverty. You have to start at the grassroots, to empower the masses, educate them, employ them, and curb inflation. That is development to me. You just can't have office spaces in the cities, inhabited by companies that are unable to hire new employees. Of what point is beauty in the face of darkness?

@ dblock,

The Nigerian-filipino you meet, did you say they live in Quezon City? And you are right. In the media, you heared that there are so much poverty there. I say it is everywhere in every country. When we went there, I was shocked to see mostly people have cell phones even those they called the poor people. And good food I may add. Actually, their economy has improved greatly really. I guess because there are so many foreigneer investors now as well as many people working abroad and just decided to come back & forth to enjoy their earnings there as well as investing it on real estates and any other businessess.

Ndipe you are perceiving this wrongly. I am studying to be an architect. Architects love buildings. Other people love buildings. Buildings aren't this and that and they aren't a nessecity, but we love them nonetheless.

Quote where I said that becuase of these buildings The Philippines is great. No one is denying that there is poverty in the Philippines. There is poverty in France, there is unemployment there too, there is poverty in Germany, in America.
Take the Main rout from the Los Angeles Airport and the first structures you'll see as you approach the Heart of the City are Slums and Makeshift homes.

Poverty is Ubiquitous, but so is Business. Business doesn't halt where there is poverty. In Rio De janeiro, Favelas are built beside Five star Apartments. Shining light on the Five Star Apartment isn't denying the existence of the Favelas, but is on the contrary saying, Hey look see what has being done.

Look I went to a huge estate in Quezon City, and just outside that estate was a shanty town. Now tell me, is it wrong to have built that estate? Are you implying that because some people are worse off, development should halt. Yes that would be nice, but it is naive to think that it will evr happen. What needs to be done is more development. So that the people in that area can live in a nice environment, with competition the prices of homes will drop.

Philipppines is not by any means struggling, they have about 40% poverty, but it decreasing. Filipinos are becoming the new Chinese, they are becming entrepeneurs and they are everywhere. The provinces of the Philippines are paradise. Go to Cebu, it is heaven on earth.

And to Conclude, The name of this thread isn't Manila Philippines, it is Manila Skyline Philippines. Just because Manila has a good skyline is no reason to winge about it.

The Nigerian-filipino you meet, did you say they live in Quezon City?

Yeah, we drove from Makati to Quezon City, and they live in an estate there.

Manila City Hall


Nice Shot


Those White Taxis have Metres and all, but I don't like most of the Taxi Drivers.


I've never seen a Gypney with advertising before , Nice. I guess Gypneys are to The Philippines what Trams are to Hawaii and San Francisco or what Molues are to Lagos or what Danfos are to Ibadan, Okay you get the point.


Manila Street




Street Level


KKK Mall! That's no place for a Black man


Like any other Asian cities, Manila has those Tricycle Taxis


I noticed that there are a lot of horses in Manila


Manila Bay


Manila at Night


I'll post more later

Todays Pic

@ dblock,

What can I say to you As always, thank you so much, I will be visiting Philippines next month. I would surely visit the places you post here. And most of all, to enjoy the food. And spend a whole day relaxing @ the beach, Thanks Mr wonderful dblock. I will surely keep an eye on this thread in case you will be posting more. You know, you could also be a good photographer . I think whatever you do, sucess will surely follow you.

iice:

The last pic, is that a golf course?

I believe it is.

Agatonaa, thanks for the Appreciation. Are you planning on going to the Philippines any time soon?

dblock,
Yes we are leaving on the 16th of this month. We will be there for a whole month. Many things to do and lots of picture taking as well. By the time I get back home, I am sure none of my clothes will fit me no more, I will be eating like a pig there. So much food you know, . Hope all is well with you.

Here there's pretty good food in The Philippines. I personally love the Pork.

Do yo speak any Tagalog?

dblock:

Of course I speak tagalog. I am after all a Filipina. Are you talking about roasted pig Do you think you wanted to go back there to visit one of this days again?

Not bad

agatonaa:

dblock:

Of course I speak tagalog. I am after all a Filipina. Are you talking about roasted pig Do you think you wanted to go back there to visit one of this days again?

Yea I'll probably revisit Manila some day. Nice place. And Nice people.

Some more Pictures




This scene could easily be mistake for Dubai




Ortigas Centre (Ortigas, Metro Manila). Again this could easily be mistake for Dubai