North–South Commuter Railway, Philippines
One hundred kilometres, twenty stations, on the owner's side.
Managing from the owner's side
On a funded infrastructure programme the owner sits between a ministry, a funding agency and several international contractors, each working to different standards and in different languages. The management role is to hold that structure together rather than to build any part of it.
That work is only possible from inside the country. Staff stationed on the programme for its duration see conditions as they develop rather than as they are reported, which is the difference between managing a project and receiving news about one.
Where we met this before
France Pavilion
The garden design was still settling four months before opening. We held manufacturing capacity open so fabrication could begin the day it released.
Nordic Circle Pavilion
One building, five participating countries, five approval routes, one opening date.
Portugal Pavilion
A rope envelope of 9,972 elements weighed 55 tonnes and had to perform as a structure. We resolved it as one, and opened on the date.
Planning something similar?
Send the building type, the country and a rough date. We'll tell you which part will be hard.