In the heart of New Clark City, the Athletics Stadium emerges as a landmark shaped by the story of its land. Its bold elliptical form draws inspiration from the caldera of Mt. Pinatubo—a subtle yet powerful gesture to the landscape’s past, where destruction gave way to reinvention. The result is an architecture that does not decorate, but defines: a structure where form and meaning are one.

Here, the structural is the architectural. The exposed steel columns, arranged in a deliberate rhythm, support both the seating tiers and the canopy above. Finished in a custom-developed shade called “Active Orange,” they recall the fluidity and energy of volcanic flow—vivid against the grounded palette. This same orange marks the nine-lane track, while the randomly placed orange and gray seats across the stands create a dynamic, lava-like impression that charges the space with visual movement.

The material story deepens through the use of lahar-based concrete for walls and floors—an intentional reclamation of what once buried entire communities. Here, it becomes foundation and finish, transforming memory into resilience. Above, the canopy floats, engineered to allow natural airflow and prevent uplift during intense winds—its design embracing both environmental logic and experiential comfort.

International recognition followed. The stadium is the first in the Philippines to receive IAAF Class 1 certification, setting a global benchmark for athletic performance. It was also named one of the Top 10 finalists in Stadium of the Year 2019 by StadiumDBcom, and received a Highly Commended Award at the World Architecture Festival 2021 for Completed Sports Buildings.

The New Clark City Athletics Stadium is more than an arena—it is structure as narrative, purpose as poetry. A space that reflects who we are, and what we can become—resilient, proud, and unmistakably Filipino.