SM Prime

Elevating SM City Marikina to keep a major retail centre accessible during floods

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Climate-related retail risk: River flooding, extreme rainfall, customer and employee access disruption, store damage and prolonged mall closure 
Solution pathway: Elevated construction, flood-conscious site placement, drainage infrastructure and disaster-resilient retail design 

Business type: Large retail property developer and shopping-centre operator 
Sector: Retail real estate and shopping centres 
Geography: Marikina City, Philippines

In practice

Shopping centres in flood-prone cities can be exposed to direct building damage, loss of utilities and prolonged closure. Flooded access roads can also prevent customers, staff and suppliers from reaching stores, reducing sales and limiting access to essential goods. 

SM City Marikina is located within the Marikina River watershed, an area with a long history of severe flooding. When developing the site, SM Prime placed the mall farther from the river and elevated the main structure on 246 concrete stilts. The retail floors were positioned above the highest recorded flood level, while the space beneath the mall allows water to flow through rather than placing the full force of flooding against the building.

This design was tested during Typhoon Ketsana, known locally as Ondoy, in 2009. The typhoon inundated large parts of Marikina City, but the elevated mall remained structurally intact. It was subsequently able to support people affected by the disaster.

The approach demonstrates that protecting customer access begins with decisions made before a store or mall is built. Site placement, floor elevation, structural design, drainage and the location of critical equipment can determine whether a retail asset remains usable after extreme rainfall.

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The example is particularly relevant to retailers and property developers expanding in rapidly urbanising, low-lying or flood-prone locations. Although surrounding roads may still be disrupted, protecting the building reduces damage, shortens recovery and creates a stronger base from which stores can reopen.

Why this example was selected

This case study was curated because SM City Marikina has been documented by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction as a business example of flood-resilient development. UNDRR highlights the mall’s elevated construction and its location within a known flood-risk area.

The project has also been presented through PreventionWeb and other independent business and resilience publications. It is valuable for the Business Knowledge Hub because it shows a tangible adaptation built into a functioning retail asset, rather than a general commitment to future resilience.

Key lesson

Retailers and property developers can reduce long-term access and closure risks by integrating flood exposure into site selection and building design before stores are constructed. 

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