Project Title & Location
PICC INTERIM EXHIBIT HALL
PICC Complex, Cultural Center of the
Philippines
ROXAS BOULEVARD, MANILA

Client
BANGKO SENTRAL NG PILIPINAS
Roxas Boulevard, Manila

Project Completion
2002

Associated Firms
PROS A&E
ECT Consulting Engineers
First Philippines Balfour Beatty

Services Provided
- Master Planning
- Architectural and Engineering Design Services
- Project Monitoring

At the invitation of First Balfour, a local joint-venture construction company short-listed to bid for the design and build of the interim exhibit hall at PICC, the design team accepted the 10-day charette. The design and engineering team is to provide the architectural concepts for an innovative tent structure as called for by the Bangko Sentral terms of bid. The cudgels include structural, materials and equipment other than the tent structure, utility selection, air conditioning and ventilation, fire safety as well as power, light and communications. Outright, the design concepts for a new technology tent structure from Asia Tents was looked into by First Balfour who also is responsible for cost control and estimates.

With the design criteria set by the Bids and Awards Committee of PICC and the Bangko Sentral, a price ceiling of Php 130 million proved to be difficult to attain for a large interior with a comfort conditioning of the first quality.

For a covered area of 5,000 square meters the tent requires a large percentage of the budget for the utility and equipments. However the tent frames and surfacing including its insulation is very cost-effective. Its evolving design geometry, although simple in mass, provide the impressive architectural aesthetics by means of combining simple masses for a long exhibit hall that is divisible. The long mass requires to be partitioned into three smaller zones.

Ultimately, with a revision of the design criteria, First Balfour won the rebidding. With the impending visit of the Pope, the exhibit hall is expected to be operational by January 2003.