Perkins & Will modeled the International School of Manila after a Spanish colonial monastery in central Manila. Two major elements make up the composition. A curved wall facing a busy boulevard contains classrooms. The second element is a rectilinear segment containing gymnasiums, libraries, auditoriums, and a multilevel "student street" along one edge. On the lower level, specialized classrooms and "teacher towers" tie the composition together and provide definition and separation for inward-looking courtyards. The jury noted that the school "makes a grand gesture with its large scale and its many pieces and programs."