Samsung Performing Arts Theater: Highlighting Filipino Talent On A World-Class Stage
Originally slated to open back in 2020, Samsung Performing Arts Theater had to overcome delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic before finally opening its doors just last month just in time for the return of performing arts events throughout the country. Its location at Circuit Makati, which formerly was the Sta. Ana racetrack, provided the inspiration for its 1500-seater horseshoe theater layout that offers a great vantage point for the patrons from each seating level.
This Ayala Land, Inc-owned performing arts facility was designed with the help of US-based Theatre Projects Consultants and sound design experts Akustiks. It was built in partnership with GF & Partners Architects, as well as world-renowned architects from Calliston RTKL. For the team, the goal was simple: to create a one-of-a-kind, world-class stage that would house some of the best Filipino and Philippine-produced performances and offer a unique experience to its audience.
Having this project start all the way back in 2017, the main concern was ensuring that the theater’s design would still be as relevant and timeless once it’s built to completion. This was the job of interior designers Cynthia and Ivy Almario as they put together the materials and the design down to the smallest of details for the theater’s interiors.
“Giving the long lead time of the construction, our real concern was designing something that will be very relevant and apropos, once built. It’s almost like looking at a crystal ball and predicting the outcome for longevity. So that was our cue, to design a timeless Performance Theatre that will forever be contemporary.”
Cynthia & Ivy Almario
Marble stone, wood veneer, and real wood were the first materials that came to mind to cater to both functional and aesthetic concerns of the venue. These materials, aside from working cohesively well with each other visually, also offer excellent acoustic properties. The next feature that the design team focused on was the form. Without a second thought, they decided to use geometric fractals from wall cladding to ceiling design that helped in breaking up the rigidity of large, common areas within the facility.
Much can be said about the details put into designing and completing the theater. But in spite of its overt grandiosity — from the high ceilings, cavernous spaces, the facets, its finishes — there’s still an undeniable air of intimacy that can be found as one enters the theater. This intimacy brings together the heart of the performing artists, as well as that of the theater and cultural enthusiasts.
The management teamed up also with Architect Anton Arcellana, to be its Interior Architect. According to Arcellana what made the project even more memorable was how the Ayala team continued to forge on with making progress, which in turn provided a beacon of hope for everyone involved. This continuous collaborative work provided the space in which different
synergies came together to see this project through.
Learn more about the world-class design of Samsung Performing Arts Theater. Download your copy now! Click on the link for BluPrint Vol. 2 2022: THE ART OF MAKING.
Photos by Ed Simon
