Rizal Memorial Coliseum

for the rehabilitation its facilities for the SEA Games, including 250 million earmarked for the Rizal Memorial Coliseum. This allowed for a much-needed comprehensive rehabilitation of the coliseum, including the installation of a centralized air conditioning system, the installation of new stadium seating, and the total refurbishment of toilet and locker facilities, among others. The author, owing to his prior experience with the works of Juan Arellano, was commissioned as consulting architect for the rehabilitation of the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in the early half of 2019. For the reader to visualize the extent of the building’s deterioration, the building’s condition will be discussed.

Not having undergone a comprehensive renovation since 1954, the Coliseum had deteriorated into a shadow of its former self. The roof was leaking in places, bleachers were rotting; the walls revealed multiple layers of peeling paint. Once ventilated by large machine blowers, these have since broken down; exhaust fans gathering dust. Over the years, minor modifications have been made—wooden mezzanine floors in some rooms added for office space, makeshift partitions, spectator wire fences, concrete flood barriers, and a large, freestanding concrete canopy fronting the façade. The piecemeal changes and haphazard repairs slowly disfigured the iconic art deco character of the building. Over decades of its use as a sporting facility, its poor maintenance resulted in its slow deterioration: with its outdated facilities, dimly lit interiors, and poor ventilation.

Approach to Conservation

With its historico-social context and significance in mind, the interventions were specifically laid-out to highlight the character defining elements of the building and ensure the integrity of the structure. The objective of the rehabilitation was two-fold: first, to upgrade the existing facilities to suit the needs of modern sporting events; and second, to restore the heritage value of the building by returning it to its streamlined deco roots. This entailed comprehensive research on the history and significance of the complex, color studies, defects analysis, and a careful study on the effects of the proposed interventions. Some interventions required a cautious approach, such as the boring of holes in the slab for ducting; and the partial removal of a section of bleachers to make way for a service entrance to the arena.