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SM Aura

View of SM Aura
Location	26th Street corner McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Philippines
Coordinates	14°32′50″N 121°03′15″E / 14.547145780735661°N 121.05429050594807°E / 14.547145780735661; 121.05429050594807
Address	26th Street corner McKinley Parkway
Opening date	May 17, 2013; 11 years ago (2013-05-17)
Previous names	SM Aura at the Civic Center (c. 2011) SM Aura Premier at the Bonifacio Civic Center (c. 2013) SM Aura Premier at the Fort (2013) SM Aura Premier (2013–2023)
Developer	SM Prime Holdings
Management	SM Prime Holdings
Owner	SM Prime Holdings
Architect	Arquitectonica
No. of stores and services	300+
No. of anchor tenants	8
Total retail floor area	198,257 m (2,134,020 sq ft)
No. of floors	Mall: 8 upper + 3 basement Tower: 29 upper
Parking	≈ 1,700 slots
Public transit access	Market! Market!  EX01   NR01   AS11   15  16  Market! Market!
Website	SM Aura

SM Aura ([ˈaʊɾa]; formerly SM Aura Premier), is a large upscale shopping mall located at 26th Street corner McKinley Parkway, Bonifacio Global City, Barangay Fort Bonifacio, Taguig, Philippines, owned by SM Prime Holdings, the country's largest mall developer. It is the 13th SM Supermall in Metro Manila and 47th SM Prime mall in the Philippines. It was the 2nd SM Supermall to be called "Premier" (now discontinued) after SM Lanang. The shopping center is situated near its rival mall Market! Market!, owned by Ayala Malls, a real estate subsidiary of Ayala Land, and affiliate of Ayala Corporation. It is designed by EDGE Interior Designers and Arquitectonica.

Etymology

The name of SM Aura is derived from chemical symbols Au (gold) and Ra (radium). According to SM Prime Holdings, Inc., the name defines "luxury and elegance that emanates from within."

History

Land dispute

SM Aura is built on a land that was involved in a dispute between the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) and the Taguig local government. The issue originated from the encroachment of the Manila American Cemetery, under the BCDA, on land designated for a civic center. This was resolved when the BCDA and the local government signed agreements in 1999 and 2004, transferring several parcels of land in Fort Bonifacio to Taguig in exchange for the encroached area.

In 2007, SM Prime Holdings, Inc. (SMPHI) won a public bid to lease and develop a 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) portion of the property into a mixed-use complex. The local government and SMPHI entered a lease agreement on November 21, 2007, and August 1, 2008, with the Deed of Conveyance in 2008 transferring the land to Taguig without restrictions on its use. However, the BCDA later claimed that the construction was illegal, which SMPHI denied, and refuted SMPHI's claim that SM Aura was fully compliant with the Deed of Conveyance (DOC) between the local government and BCDA.

During his term, Taguig Mayor Sigfrido Tiñga initially went into discussions with the Ayala Group on the use of land. However, the discussions on land use were carried over to the term of his successor, Lani Cayetano.

Mall development

The mall was known as SM Aura at the Civic Center or SM Aura Premier at the Bonifacio Civic Center before its formal opening. Construction began in 2011. The mall, named as SM Aura Premier , had its inaugural blessing on May 16, 2013, a day before the grand opening. Numerous celebrities, government officials including Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Taguig Mayor Lani Cayetano, company officials, and VIP guests attended the blessing, including SM Prime's Henry Sy and Hans Sy, and American actress Sarah Jessica Parker. Parker cut the ribbon for The SM Store, and was the newest endorser for their "Love to Shop" campaign.

Since 2023, the mall undergoes renovation. Updates on the Director's Club Cinema and the rebranded food court known as Food on Four were completed in January and April 2024, respectively.

Mall features

The development includes the Skypark, a multi-level green roof. It has al fresco bars & restaurants, sculptures and botanical gardens, a 1,000-seat performance hall called Samsung Hall, the 250-seat Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod, and a mini-golf course. A high-end food court named Food on Four is located on the fourth level.

Designed by Miami-based architectural firm Arquitectonica, the structure would be a basic “dumbbell” arrangement determined by the narrow site, with the main entry at the north corner, and the office tower located at the southern end. The main vehicular drop-off is provided on the western side, with taxi stations on the first basement level, accessed from the lower, eastern road. It also has a three-level basement parking.

The high-end mall consists high-end and international fashion brands such as Stuart Weitzman, Joseph (UK), Calvin Klein, Stradivarius, Uniqlo, Topman, and Topshop. Other tenants include Crate & Barrel, Ramen Nagi, Todd English Food Hall Manila (now The Food Hall), and Fitness First Platinum.

SMX Convention Center Aura

The third branch of SMX Convention Center is located at the third and fourth levels of SM Aura. Occupying 6,148 square meters (66,180 sq ft), it comprises 3 function rooms at the third level and 8 meeting rooms at the fourth level. It has a gross leasable area (GLA) of 3,136 square meters (33,760 sq ft) and a total capacity of up to 2,480.

SM Cinema

SM Aura offers a total of five state-of-the-art cinemas with two regular cinemas equipped with Dolby Atmos sound system, two Director's Club Cinemas, and an IMAX theater at the fourth level.

Director's Club

SM Aura offers two Director's Club Cinemas with in-butler service. It is the second Director's Club Cinema branch after SM Mall of Asia.

IMAX

SM Aura offers an IMAX theater that is the seventh of its kind in the country. In January 2022, the IMAX theater temporarily operated as a "Large Screen Format" (with films shown in non-IMAX DMR releases) due to undisclosed reasons. The IMAX theater resumed regular operations with IMAX DMR releases on May 4, 2022, along with the release of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Samsung Hall

Samsung Hall is a 1,000-seat performance theater located at the 6th level of SM Aura. Built through the partnership of SM Group and Samsung Electronics Philippines Corporation, it opened on October 25, 2013. It has a capacity of 1,000 people. It has been graced by multiple international acts such as D'Sound (first performers at the venue), Sungha Jung, Mayday Parade, Charli XCX, Metric, Before You Exit, Oh Wonder, Why Don’t We, and iKon.

Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod

Chapel of San Pedro Calungsod is a 250-seat Roman Catholic chapel located at the 7th level of SM Aura. Opened in May 2013, it is named in honor of the Filipino saint Pedro Calungsod. Shaped like an abstract cave, it has a semi-circular opening that references to the cave of the Resurrection.

SM Aura Tower

The mall is connected to a 29-story office tower named SM Aura Tower, which has an area of 40,424 square meters (435,120 sq ft) and a GLA of 39,654 square meters (426,830 sq ft). Opened in September 2014, the SM Aura Tower is built according to international green standards, with efficient use of energy and sustainable operation features. The Office Tower is also home to one of the largest serviced offices in the Philippines, with 400 seats in a 20,000-square-meter (220,000 sq ft) office space. As part of Bonifacio Civic Center, the tower also houses several government offices such as Social Security System, PhilHealth, Pag-IBIG Fund (Home Development Mutual Fund), Philippine Postal Corporation, Bureau of Immigration, Land Registration Authority and Taguig City Government, where the Taguig City Council also holds sessions. The tower also houses corporate offices such as Uber, Lixil Philippines, Cisco Systems Management, Inc., Regent Foods Corporation, Teleperformance, and Ezaki Glico International.

Awards and recognition

SM Aura is also the first and sole mall to be certified Gold under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for its green features in the retail sector in the Philippines. The LEED Certification is an internationally recognized standard awarded to institutions that follow the strict regulations governing green architecture and construction. It is a citation awarded to a distinct few by the US Green Building Council.

Incident

On June 18, 2013, two window cleaners were injured when the gondola carrying them detached from its cables at the mall. Both were rushed to the nearby St. Luke's Medical Center – Global City.

References

1. ""The Aura of a Beautiful Mall - SM Prime"". SM Prime. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
2. "SM PRIME CREATES NEW LANDMARK WITH SM AURA; SETS NEW STANDARD IN GREEN DEVELOPMENT". SM Prime Press Release. May 17, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
3. "Contact Us | SM Aura Premier". June 10, 2013. Archived from the original on June 10, 2013.
4. Savills, K. M. C. "SM Aura Tower". kmcmaggroup.com. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
5. "Andrew Petch - adoboLIVE: Behind the SM Aura brand". adoboLIVE on YouTube. Sanserif Inc. May 17, 2013. Retrieved December 1, 2014.
6. Cacho, Katlene (May 17, 2013). "SM now spans 5.9M sq.m." SunStar Cebu. Retrieved May 18, 2013.
7. Cruz, Neal (June 11, 2013). "The facts on the BCDA-SM row over Aura". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
8. Fernandez, Amanda (May 19, 2013). "BCDA: Construction of SM Aura mall in Taguig is illegal". GMA News. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
9. ^ "Deed for SM Aura construction misinterpreted - BCDA". GMA News. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
10. "SM Aura Premier". The Skyscraper Center. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
11. "The first 'Next-Generation' SM Store opens at SM Aura". The Philippine Star. July 24, 2013. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
12. "Sarah Jessica Parker in Manila for SM Aura Premier opening". BusinessMirror. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
13. "Hollywood star Sarah Jessica Parker attends blessing of The SM Store in Taguig City". Philippine Entertainment Portal. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
14. Moral, Cheche V. "Sarah Jessica Parker finds Manila exciting, interesting". Inquirer Lifestyle. Retrieved May 17, 2013.
15. Mercurio, Richmond (December 6, 2024). "SM going full blast on mall renovations". The Philippine Star. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
16. "SM Aura Premier proudly announces the reopening of its Director's Club Cinema". Goldenduck. January 22, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
17. ^ "Food On Four at SM Aura reopens". SM Supermalls. March 16, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
18. Dela Cruz, Christa (March 28, 2022). "You Can Now Play for Free at BGC's Roof-Deck Golf Course". Retrieved April 27, 2024.
19. SM Aura Carpark (Parking Entrance). Mudra G. December 16, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
20. Dumlao, Doris C. (May 20, 2013). "SM puts up 3rd SMX Convention Center in Taguig City". Philippine Daily Inquirer.
21. "SMX Aura". SMX Convention Center. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
22. "Ready your eyes for the IMAX experience at SM Aura". GMA News.
23. "This time, Samsung builds a performance hall". SM Prime. December 3, 2013. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
24. Dizon, Alex De Vera (November 4, 2013). "Samsung Hall opens at SM Aura". Recycle Bin of a Middle Child. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
25. Hazel, Ria (November 8, 2013). "Samsung Hall Opens at SM Aura Premier". SugarSmile. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
26. "San Pedro Calungsod Chapel opens at SM Aura Premier". The Philippine Star. December 14, 2013. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
27. "SM Aura Tower". SM Offices. Retrieved March 10, 2024.
28. "SM Aura Premier launches Office Tower". SM Prime. September 5, 2014. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
29. "SM Aura Premier launches Office Tower". Manila Bulletin Online. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
30. "KMC Solutions Launches One of the Largest Serviced Offices in the Philippines". PR Newswire. Retrieved September 16, 2014.
31. "Share unbiased news and stories about Bonifacio Global City and McKinley Hill". June 27, 2015. Archived from the original on June 27, 2015.
32. "SM Aura gets award for green features". Philstar.com. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
33. Talavera, Catherine (February 11, 2017). "SM Aura Premier wins LEED Gold certification". Manila Times. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
34. "SM Aura receives LEED Gold Designation". Primer.com.ph. Retrieved June 24, 2017.
35. Frialde, Mike (June 18, 2013). "2 janitors hurt in SM Aura accident". The Philippine Star. Retrieved July 27, 2024.

External links

• Official website

• Shopping malls in Taguig
• Bonifacio Global City
• SM Prime
• Shopping malls established in 2013
• Arquitectonica buildings