This text marks, for the Synderesis School, the completion of a fourth triennial cycle, whose specific focus has been the phenomenon of urbanisation as the likely outcome for an increasingly globalised world. After the detailed analysis of megalopolises during the last two sessions, firstly in Europe (Rome, Sangalli 2021), then America (Mexico City, Sangalli 2022), and with the principal aim of understanding the configuration of C21st cities, the Asian hub of Manila, lying at the heart of the famous archipelago, is our focus this time. Given its unique, 'Western-hybrid'cultural tradition, it is of particular interest as an atelier of inclusivity and shared living between bearers of different cultures and traditions, leading to a 'patchwork quilt'of cultures and traditions which one hopes will be respectful of the individual features of each person. The capital of the Philippines, extending over a vast metropolitan area, is a perfect example of contradictory urban complexity, the result of a population that is ever-increasing, a geopolitical context that is constantly shifting and a geographical situation contending with major environmental issues.