8/27/2019 Philippine Arena - Populous

OUR PROJECTS / Philippine Arena

Philippine Arena
MANILA

Services

Architecture

Typologies
Arenas

Building Activities

Boxing, Concerts

Location
Asia

Completion
2014

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Philippine Arena is one of the world’s largest indoor arenas, capable of seating 50,000 fans in a fully
enclosed building. Since opening, the arena has hosted a range of sporting, music and church events.

CHALLENGE. The Philippines’ capital of Manila is the world’s most densely populated city, and anchors a
metropolis of more than 12 million people. The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) commissioned Populous to design

an arena that could host 50,000 people for major church gatherings and events of all types. This would be
INC’s gift to the city – a place for joy and a landmark reflecting Manila’s status as a rising global force.

It is difficult to give 50,000 people a good view of a single focal point and create an intimate atmosphere.
A facility of this size also needs to avoid feeling empty during smaller events. The design had to enable
large crowds to enter and exit the arena quickly and safely, and account for Manila’s humid, tropical
climate and location in an earthquake zone.

INNOVATION. Populous envisioned the Philippine Arena as a true gathering place where the community
could come together. Situated on a green field site north of Manila, at Ciudad de Victoria, the arena has
been designed to host the maximum possible number of people – 50,000 people inside the building and

another 50,000 as a “live site” outside for major events when required.

To build at such a vast scale, the boundaries of traditional arena design were pushed. The arena’s form
uses geometry to create an elegant appearance and powerful presence. To give every seat a clear

sightline, even as the arena’s configuration changes to accommodate diverse events, the Philippine Arena
was designed as one-sided bowl in a tight, compact saddle shape that is high in the centre and drops at

the flanks. Strategically placed video boards also help with atmosphere and provide additional viewing.

To retain intimacy during smaller events, the lower bowl is the most frequently used part of the building. It
can be easily separated from the upper tier through curtaining with acoustic and thermal properties. To

cope with large numbers arriving for an event simultaneously, the arena’s entrances immediately redirect
people to clear pathways. The arena is well ventilated and fully air-conditioned to keep audiences cool,

and is divided into multiple structures to strengthen the building’s earthquake resistance.

IMPACT. Recognized by the Guinness World Records as the largest mixed-use indoor theatre, Philippine
Arena has hosted events with massive crowds. On New Year’s Eve 2014, 1,000,000 people flocked to the

arena and its grounds, establishing it as Manila’s equivalent of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Since then, it

has also held the Philippine Basketball Association season opener (52,612 fans), Katy Perry’s concert in
2015 (30,107 fans), and was featured in the Discovery Channel documentary Man Made Marvels: Quake

Proof. Aired in 2013, the piece focus on the Philippines’ structures, which are made safe from
earthquakes and typhoons.

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PROJECT TEAM

ANDREW

JAMES

RON

VAN SLUIJS

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JOOYOUNG

KIM

JAMES

PEARCE

CINDY

YIP
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YIP

TYLER

ROBERTSON

BRETT

WIGHTMAN

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PAUL

HENRY

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Philippine Arena Opens in Manila

July 24, 2014

The world’s largest indoor arena, the 50,000 seat Philippine Arena, has opened in Manila. The arena at Ciudad de Victoria,

Bocaue, Bulacan, was commissioned by Iglesia Ni Cristo (the Church of Christ) ...

Populous Designs World’s Largest Arena in Manila in the Philippines

August 29, 2011

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8/27/2019 Philippine Arena - Populous

Construction has commenced on the world’s largest indoor arena in Manila, in the Philippines, designed by the international

architecture firm, Populous. In a ground breaking ceremony held last week, the arena design ...

Populous designs world’s largest indoor arena in Manila, Philippines

March 21, 2012

Designboom features a blog post on the Philippines Arena in Manila. Designed by Populous, the venue is projected to be

the world’s largest indoor arena. Read the full post here. ...

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