Bacolod City has long been known for its charm, hospitality, and cultural pride—but in recent years, it’s also quietly evolved into one of the country’s fastest-growing digital hubs. Seeing this transformation unfold, architecture student Keziah Hope P. Ulgasan saw an opportunity not just to ride the wave, but to shape its direction.
Her thesis, “A BPO Hub and Commercial Complex in Bacolod City,” is a bold response to the city’s rapidly expanding business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. But more than that, it’s a forward-thinking solution to how urban spaces can support economic growth without losing sight of human needs and sustainability.
“Bacolod is booming,” Keziah shares, “but many developments lack an integrated, inclusive, and sustainable approach. I wanted to create a space that reflects the city’s progress and its values.”
At the heart of her design is a mixed-use, walkable complex that caters to both professionals and the community. For the 24/7 workforce powering the BPO industry, the building offers ergonomic workstations, flexible office configurations, recreation zones, sleeping quarters, and green spaces—features meant to improve wellness and productivity in high-pressure work environments.
But it’s not all about the work.
The complex also houses dining spaces, retail outlets, and service businesses, intentionally woven into the site’s layout to promote movement, interaction, and social balance. “It’s about creating a work-live-play environment,” Keziah explains, “where professionals thrive, the public is welcome, and the space becomes part of the neighborhood, not separate from it.”
Urbanistically, the project transforms an underutilized, commercially zoned site into a smart growth model—compact, efficient, and responsive to both environment and economy. Designed with attention to Bacolod’s local climate, road systems, and community rhythms, the development serves as a bridge between economic ambition and livable urban form.
It’s not just about looking modern—it’s about being meaningful.
“In the long run, I see this complex as a catalyst,” Keziah says. “It will help generate jobs, attract investment, promote sustainable architecture, and set a standard for how cities like Bacolod can grow with purpose.”
She imagines it not just as a facility, but as a movement—a model for future urban development where inclusion, innovation, and environmental consciousness shape every decision.
For Keziah Hope Ulgasan, designing this BPO hub wasn’t just about meeting industry trends—it was about designing a future where Bacolod thrives on its own terms.
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