From Shibuya to Manila: The Observatory Sales Pavilion
Blending Japanese precision with Filipino creativity, The Observatory reimagines Mandaluyong living as a serene, city-centered oasis.
Words Gerie Marie Consolacion
Photo courtesy of The Observatory Sales Pavilion
October 13, 2025
Last September 30, the official opening of The Observatory Sales Pavilion took place at The Observatory Showroom led by Federal Land NRE Global Inc., (FNG), its Chairman Alfred Ty, FNG President Thomas Mirasol, FNG Vice Chairman Yusuke Hirano, Tomohiro Fukuda the General Manager of Nikken Sekkei, the Japanese Ambassador Endo Kazuya, and the former Mandaluyong Mayor Benjamin Abalos Sr.
The event is attended by its Japanese architects, developers, and few media invited. It is a gesture that officially welcomes the future owners of the units at the Sales Pavilion.
(L-R) Thomas Mirasol, Federal Land NRE Global, Inc. (FNG) President; His Excellency Endo Kazuya,Ambassador of Japan to the Philippines; Alfred Ty, Federal Land and FNG Chairman; Hon. Benjamin Abalos Sr., Former Mayor of Mandaluyong; Yusuke Hirano, Vice Chairman of FNG; and Tomohiro Fukuda, Nikken Sekkei General Manager led the ribbon-cutting ceremon to officially launch The Observatory Sales Pavilion in Mandaluyong City.
Metro Manila is never short on movement—horns blaring, neon lights glowing, skyscrapers stretching higher by the year. But tucked along Pioneer Street in Mandaluyong, just across the river from BGC, a new kind of city space is taking root. Welcome to The Observatory, a 4.5-hectare mixed-use township from Federal Land NRE Global, Inc. (FNG), designed to be less about escape and more about balance, a place where city living and quiet living can finally meet.
Guests toured The Observatory Sales Pavilion showroom, which features The Observatory’s scale model, a range of model units, and Japanese-inspired elements such as the shunou storage system and kaizen layouts.
The journey starts at the Sales Pavilion, a striking 1,700-sqm structure that doubles as a sneak peek into this Japanese-Filipino lifestyle vision. “It’s where Japanese precision meets Filipino creativity,” says FNG Vice Chairman Yusuke Hirano, “building something modern and lasting.” And you feel that philosophy from the moment you walk through its doors.
Arrival like no other
The scale model at The Observatory Sales Pavilion provides a glimpse of the 4.5-hectare mixed- use township in Mandaluyong City, envisioned with residential towers, retail spaces, and open areas designed to harmonize Japanese precision and Filipino creativity.
Framed by wide glass windows, the pavilion greets you with clean lines and open space. By day, it blends with its lush surroundings; by night, it glows like a lantern, soft and welcoming against the city skyline. Inside, a detailed scale model lays out the big picture but it’s the transition to the model units that makes the idea tangible.
Guests walk through a green path that bridges the outdoors and indoors, a thoughtful pause that reflects the township’s emphasis on open spaces, walkability, and wellness. It’s not just an architectural flourish—it’s a promise that future residents won’t have to choose between urban convenience and breathing room.
A home for every lifestyle
The pavilion showcases four model units, each telling a different story of modern urban living.
The Studio is compact yet striking, inspired by Tokyo’s Shibuya district and ideal for the on-the-go creative. The One-Bedroom is crafted for young couples, blending travel-inspired accents, mid-century flair, and a clever pull-out counter for flexible living.
The Two-Bedroom balances warmth and function, with a serene Master’s Bedroom and a playful toddler’s corner. Meanwhile, the Three-Bedroom embodies aspirational living, spacious and sophisticated, designed for entertaining and community.
Across all layouts, thoughtful Japanese touches tie the spaces together, most notably the genkan—a traditional entryway where shoes are left behind, setting the tone for cleanliness, order, and calm from the moment you step inside.
A taste of the high life
The tour ends on the second-floor deck, where the view stretches out to the BGC skyline, framed by the river and the city beyond. To round out the Japanese lifestyle, there’s coffee from UCC Mentore and bites from MOS Burger and Coco Ichibanya food trucks—just enough to make you feel you’ve stepped into a slice of Tokyo.
The Observatory Studio Model Unit
Looking ahead, the first residential tower, Sora Tower, a Japanese term for ‘sky,’ is set to rise by 2030. But The Observatory is more than just real estate—it’s a glimpse into a lifestyle shift. Positioned at the crossroads of Mandaluyong and BGC, it promises not just homes, but a community where modern convenience, culture, and calm coexist.
It’s an invitation to find your balance, right at the city’s center.
