The Atrium of Makati Solo Date

Brutalist Pilipinas, a friend of the show, posted about The Atrium of Makati while I was still in the UK, and I instantly wanted to visit. Visually stunning, you couldn't help but feel a sense of tragedy for its lost potential, and yet the optimist in you hopes that some millionaire will see the Atrium and nurture it into some sort of arts and culture hub.

Nine storeys (some sources say eight!) high might seem like a measly size considering we now have 60+ storey buildings, but the Makati Atrium makes sure you feel its magnanimous size. Originally intended as a mall, I can see the vision! It does remind me of Megamall's Halls A and B: a simple rectangular layout with escalators on both ends. Albeit nowhere as busy as Ortigas's favorite mall, The Atrium of Makati is a beautiful hidden gem. I took myself on a solo date there before I headed to Art House's LAKBAY exhibit.

The higher you go, the spookier the vibes get because the upper floors appear to be abandoned, giving a very backrooms eeriness. However, the ground and second floor houses a mix of curated retail shops, a small cafe, a bank, a bathroom fixtures supplier, a make-shift canteen, and a lottery booth. If you're tired of going to One Ayala, Glorietta, SM Makati, Landmark, and Greenbelt, this is the perfect third place to be. As malls are designed to treat you as a consumer, the Atrium does anything but; it just lets you be.

Photos are strictly prohibited, but you couldn't help but take some when the guard isn't looking because the brutalist structure is so endearing. It has so much potential to be more than what it is. As a financial business district, Makati is always so fast-paced and crowded, but walking in the Atrium feels like hitting the pause button and travelling back in time.

The strong lines, the circular mosaic flooring, the two capsule-shaped elevators, and the futuristic accent lamps make The Atrium of Makati ooze in personality. Its most famous residents at the moment are: Convenience Coffee, the Common Room Mess Studio, and the PURVEYR Plaza.

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