In 1985, Ayala was awarded an 18-month contract to create the interior of the Bayan Palace Conference Centre in Kuwait. The building was scheduled to house the Islamic Conference the following year at which some forty-two heads of state would participate. The breathtaking building included complex palette of materials from marble floors and walls, gilded wood and plaster ceilings to silk wall coverings, and handmade carpets.
Fine rosewood and teak veneers were inlaid with gold and bronze marquetry. The ornate rooms and custom-made furniture were illuminated by exquisite crystal chandeliers.
The centre piece of the building is a magnificent state of the art auditorium featuring a hydraulic floor that permits conversion into various conference and theatre configurations.
For the 1,500-seat conference hall, Ayala worked with Waagner Biro, specialist theatre engineers to orchestrate a merger of craftsmanship and technology. The project brings together exotic woods and beautiful hand-cut stone together with the requirements of a modern theatre, including a moveable orchestra pit, a revolving stage and a multichannel state of the art simultaneous translation and electronic voting system, all incorporated into the interior design in a discreet and harmonious way.
Following the liberation, Ayala returned to Kuwait to renovate, expand and improve the palace which had suffered extensive damage including a complete roof collapse in the main auditorium and extensive fire damage throughout.