NEW CLARK CITY, Tarlac (PIA) -- New Clark City (NCC) Aquatics Center bagged the Civic and Cultural Project of the Year Award during the 2023 United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) Dubai Design Awards. 

Dubai-based global architects hailed the Aquatics Center for its outstanding design as a public facility. 
 
Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) President and Chief Executive Officer Joshua Bingcang underscored that with its high-caliber design and attention to the needs of people, NCC sports complex continues to inspire and bring pride to Filipinos even after three years since its completion. 

“This award is a proud achievement for the thousands of Filipinos who made this project possible through their hard work, ingenuity, and dedication,” he noted. 
 
Designed by Royal Pineda + Architecture•Design, the infrastructure is a part of the National Government Administrative Center Phase 1A project of BCDA.

It was completed within 18 months along with the Athletics Stadium, which was also shortlisted under the same category of the UAP Dubai Design Awards. 
 
The design of the Aquatic Center was inspired from baklad (woven fish nets of local fishermen) and capiz shells which are used in traditional Filipino architecture. 

It has a 10-lane competition pool, eight-lane training pool, and a diving pool with a five-meter maximum depth.
 
The facility is compliant to the standards set by the governing body of Aquatics, Federation Internationale de Natation. 

Meanwhile, Royal Pineda + Architecture•Design Principal Architect and CEO Royal Pineda expressed his joy for the recognition and appreciation received by the sports facility from the international arena. 

“The New Clark City and its sports facilities serve as a spark to trigger and introduce what modern Philippines is. I am happy and overwhelmed with the idea that we are able to share and also bring our presence to the world. To be appreciated and recognized means that our efforts to better our country, our nation and our people through architecture and design is felt not only by our people, but by the world,” Pined stated. 

With over 400 global Filipino architect-members from 382 companies, UAP Dubai is the 124th chapter of the United Architects of the Philippines.

The UAP Dubai Design Awards is an annual awards program that honors the year’s top architects, designers, and firms. 

Furthermore, it celebrates projects that exemplify design excellence, and demonstrate exceptional skill and creativity in the resolution of formal, functional, and technical requirements. (CLJD/TJBM-PIA 3)