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Mining Industry Represented Through Architecture At New $20 Million Library

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The South Australia Drill Core Reference Library. Image by James Knowler.

The South Australia Drill Core Reference Library will hold 7.5 million metres of drill core samples collected over 130 years of exploration from across South Australia. The library has the capacity to display up to 2 kilometres of cores for inspection on a series of automated conveyor belts in the main viewing area.

Leading practice architectural design and engineering has combined to integrate function with striking form that honours the origins and visual characteristics of drill core. The building, which opened on February 17, also features conference rooms and a 3D viewing room, which uses virtual reality technology to give geologists a worms-eye view of geology and mineral deposits under the earth’s surface.

The library brings together samples previously stored at four separate drill core libraries spread across South Australia. The vast collection is midway through the shift into the massive storage warehouse at the rear of the building, featuring eight seemingly never-ending aisles that reach to the high ceiling. A hi-tech turret truck and forklift are used to fetch requested core samples to be brought to the main viewing area for inspection.

Architects Thomson Rossi were key partners in the South Australian Government to prepare a business case to look at the fundamental economics of such a project in 2011 and worked with multi-disciplinary engineering firm Aurecon before an advanced business case was commissioned in 2013. Funding for the project was approved in 2014 with construction starting in January 2015 and completed in December 2015.

The library is located in the Tonsley precinct. Image courtesy of James Knowler.

The library is located in the Tonsley precinct. Image by James Knowler.

The $19.8 million building is divided into three sections – administration, library and logistics – and has a total floor area of 7470 square metres. Thomson Rossi Director Simon Thomson said the firm was able to engage with the client from an early stage to establish the overarching design principals of vision, inspiration and iconography.

The library is located in the Tonsley precinct, the site of a former Mitsubishi car manufacturing plant, which has been converted into a modern hub for high-value industries.

Thomson said the “long and skinny” site at Tonsley was ideal because it had access to high-speed Internet, was part of a hub focused on innovation and would provide a catalyst for other mining related companies to set up in the precinct.

“It ticked a lot of boxes – it’s easy to access from the airport and there’s a lot happening on the site to make it an interesting place to be,” he said. “The vision of what this building actually should be was that it should be a beacon, it should be experiential and it should represent world’s best practice.”

He continued, “The previous (South Australian) drill core library had been rated the second best facility of its type in the world so we wanted to build on that and make the new one the best,” he said. “So as a beacon we saw it as a signpost for South Australian mining ambition and a chance to establish an exciting and iconic brand for mining in South Australia.”

The building is divided into three sections – administration, library and logistics. Image by James Knowler.

The building is divided into three sections – administration, library and logistics. Image by James Knowler.

Exploration companies in South Australia are required by legislation to provide the Department of State Development with samples of any core and cuttings taken during tenure. Core and cuttings are stored in the Drill Core Reference Library.

Thomson said the experience the firm wanted to create was of a world-class facility ensuring a positive impression for visitors. The other part of the experience was that it needed to be able to be used as an educational tool for university and school students. The building had to reflect the best practice in core libraries and embrace new technology and research in a collaborative environment.

Images on the themes of mining, outback, geology and the imagery of the drill cores themselves were used to provide inspiration for the design and look of the building. The front section of the building is clad in COR-TEN steel sheets that have a rusted iron look.

“In an abstract way we are trying to reflect the geology that this building is all about. Using the COR-TEN steel sheeting, which basically just rusts, it’s all about creating a building that is very raw as the raw materials of mining are but also from a pragmatic sense it’s recognizing that governments don’t have a lot of money to spend on maintenance so it’s a wonderful material that you never have to maintain and it continues to change as the building ages.”

The library brings together samples previously stored at four separate drill core libraries spread across South Australia. Image by James Knowler.

The library brings together samples previously stored at four separate drill core libraries. Image by James Knowler.

Thomson said the “dramatic” front end was designed to evoke images of mining sites. “There are some quite raw elements inside as well. We’ve used things like the polished concrete where you can see the aggregate, the carpet in certain sections is like looking at an aerial map of outback South Australia. We’ve got exposed ducting and perforated steel sheet that’s bolted together that forms the staircases so it’s that kind of a rough industrial look you might find on a mining site. At the same time we’ve made it a very convivial environment,” said Thomas.

The building also has several meeting and conference rooms of varying sizes, a kitchen area, laboratory and a lobby area to welcome visitors upon entry.

One of Hong Kong’s Largest Public Art Hoardings Takes Centre Stage at H Queen’s

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The building’s unique architecture provides maximum flexibility and eco-friendly features to accommodate a range of exhibition and entertainment needs

The building’s
unique architecture provides maximum flexibility and
eco-friendly features
to accommodate a range of exhibition and
entertainment needs

Henderson Leasing Agency Company Ltd., as a wholly owned subsidiary of Henderson Land Development Company Ltd. (collectively called “Henderson”) as well as the leasing and marketing agent of the development H Queen’s (HQ), has announced a new public art programme Time & Scale: 10 Hong Kong artists at HQ in preparation for the 2017 launch of its latest development.

 

“Over the years, Henderson has witnessed the growth in Hong Kong’s art and cultural landscape. The art scene has transformed dramatically in recent years and we hope to inspire conversation about the role of Hong Kong on the global art stage through compelling pieces by Hong Kong talents,” says Kristine Li, Assistant General Manager of Henderson Leasing Agency Company Ltd.

“HQ is a game changer. The building incorporates an historic setting with an advanced modern design and a premium tailored space that capitalises on the urban backdrop of Central. Committed to forging a creative community and making Hong Kong a more vibrant place to live. HQ presents this programme to bring art closer to the general public.”

To be unveiled on 21 March during Hong Kong’s period of art celebration when connoisseurs globally flock to the city, Time & Scale: 10 Hong Kong artists at HQ is the first time 10 of Hong Kong’s most notable artists have joined forces to create captivating artwork on the building’s hoarding

This select group of established and emerging contemporary artists were invited to answer the question of what it takes to make or change a culture and have their responses showcased in one of the largest scale public art hoardings seen in Hong Kong HQ’s hoarding, an art platform widely visible to the public until the last quarter of 20 comprises three sections, Queen’s Road Central (measuring 12 metres x 5 metres), Pottinger Street (36 metres x 3 metres) and Stanley Street (2r2metres x 3 (metres). Artist   featured inclue Frog King (Kwok Mang Ho),

Lam Tung pang, Ho Sin Tung, Bosco Law, South Ho, Damon Tong, Esther Poon, Stanley Siu, and Peggy Chan.

Designed by renowned architect and artist William Lim of CL3 Architects, and occupying a prime location on 80 Queen’s Road Central, HQ will b an architectural icon and a showcase for the city’s top artistic and ifesetyle ventures.

With an emphasis   on   spaciousness, functionality, eco- friendliness and energy efficiency, HQ is specially designed ideal kthspaces for art exhibitions, as well as floors dedicated for exclusive   retail and dining establishments.   Situated   in the   centre   of   Hong   Kong’ s   art   and   lifestyle hub, the award-winning building offers esthetes and gourmets around the world an unparalleled contemporary experience.

Featured Artists
The outdoor exhibition will feature works by celebrated Hong Kong artists, including Frog, King (Kwok Mang Ho) and, Lam Tung-pang.

An iconic landmark design with all glass mullions at the podium portion to create a glass box effect

An iconic landmark design with all glass
mullions at the podium portion to create a glass box effect

Since 1967, Frog King has exhibited his works in over 3,000 art events worldwide. In 1998, he   received the coveted Hong Kong Arts Development Council Emeritus Fellowship award, and also represented 5th Venice Biennale in 2011. In 2015, his works were featured in Mobile M+: Live Art presented by West Kowloon Cultural District

An MA graduate of Central St Martins College of Art, London, Lam Tung-pang is recognised for his paintings and sculptures that interpret social content   using a combination of traditional and modern techniques. He has received numerous scholarships and awards including The Schoeni Prize -Sovereign Asian Art Prizes (2006) and Young Artist of the Year – Hunting Art Prize, U.K. (2005).

From 21 March, the Stanley Street façade will double as a canvas for Lam’s drawing that incorporates old and new images of Hong Kong. The HQ public art programme will also present works from 8 emerging artists. Representing the next generation of contemporary artists, Ho Sin Tung, Bosco Law, South Ho, Damon Tong, Esther Poon, Stanley Siu, Tony Ng and Peggy Chan will apply their creative visions t the foot tunnel adjacent to HQ.

Living Free
The site-specific art forms will range   from intricate illustrations to photography and mix media collages to colrful yarn installations. Many of the exhibits will feature interactive elements to engage and connect passersby.

Accelerate the Move to BIM for Infrastructure with Enhanced Autodesk InfraWorks 360

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Autodesk, a leader in 3D design, engineering, and entertainment software, recently announced that it is enhancing its Autodesk InfraWorks 360 product by including new Road Design, Drainage Design and Bridge Design Modules at no additional charge or separate subscriptions.

These advanced capabilities were previously found separately in vertical Autodesk application modules. By including these features in the core InfraWorks product, users will no longer need to purchase modules individually.

A rendering of the E16 Highway in Norway created in InfraWorks 360 by Autodesk customer, COWI. Image courtesy of COWI

A rendering of the E16 Highway in Norway created in InfraWorks 360 by Autodesk
customer, COWI. Image courtesy of COWI

InfraWorks 360 is Autodesk’s next generation BIM for Infrastructure offering that enables true parametric modeling in spatial context. It uniquely offers customers the benefits of maintaining a BIM workflow through planning, design, construction and operations of infrastructure assets. Many customers worldwide like Parsons Brinkerhoff, VHB, David, Evans & Associates, Soethe Cursino (Brazil), and others have leveraged the power of InfraWorks 360 to optimise their project delivery process.

AutoCAD Civil 3D users are also now able to attach InfraWorks 360 to their traditional CAD-based workflows and improve their productivity through enhanced BIM workflows. The seamless interoperability between InfraWorks 360 and Civil 3D provides customers an unparalleled opportunity to fuse BIM’s contextual visualisation capabilities with detailed CAD design in their projects.

“We’re constantly working to expand the capabilities of InfraWorks 360 and help customers improve their project workflows. By integrating more functionality into the core InfraWorks 360 product at no additional cost, we are lowering the barriers to adoption for customers and helping them to accelerate their move to BIM for infrastructure,” said Gianluca Lange, Head of Sales for Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Autodesk ASEAN.

Existing users InfraWorks 360 simply need to update their version of InfraWorks 360 to gain access to the complete package. New subscribers to InfraWorks 360 will also immediately have access to all the capabilities available within the InfraWorks 360 portfolio.

Beyond including these new Road Design, Drainage Design and Bridge Design Modules at no additional cost: Students, teachers and schools worldwide can take advantage of free* access to InfraWorks and other 3D design tools and curricula via the Autodesk Academic Resource Center

Interested users can access a free* 30-day trial of InfraWorks 360 via Autodesk.com.

A Glimpse Into the Workplace of the Future

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Millward Brown's Singapore office.

Millward Brown’s Singapore office.

Real estate consultancy JLL recently released a report that revealed a growing number of companies are using the design of their workspaces to express their company culture and values to employees. Rather than the faceless cubicles of the past, today’s offices are being designed to engage workers, drive financial benefits and grow business performance.

“Companies have spent a significant amount of time refining strategies to increase engagement through the efficiency of their workplace and effectiveness of their employees,” says Grant Morrison, Director of Workplace Strategy, Asia Pacific, JLL. “But many are realising they may have been undervaluing the only resource with unlimited potential – their workforce. In response, we’re seeing a trend toward looking at organisational culture and creating workplaces with a personality and expression to match, thus making employees more likely to be engaged when they spend time in the office.

JLL’s report, Fully Engaged, introduces the concept of “workplace expression” as being the final piece of the “3 E’s” of employee engagement. Significant gains have been made over the last two decades in the first two “E’s” – efficiency and effectiveness. Adding the final piece – expression – to the mix can create a dynamic and compelling environment that reconnects employees to their purpose, directs renewed energy and engagement, while driving innovation and productivity to new levels.

The benefits of an engaged workforce and the problems associated with disengagement are well documented. Recent studies peg the cost of disengagement in the U.S. at $450 to 500 billion a year. Conversely, research shows organisations with engaged employees experience almost 150 percent higher earnings per share compared to their competition. Companies that have taken the next step, however, are reaping even more benefits. Those who have actively developed their culture returned more than 500 percent higher revenue and 750 percent higher income.

Research shows organisations with engaged employees experience almost 150 percent higher earnings per share compared to their competition.

Research shows organisations with engaged employees experience almost 150 percent higher earnings per share compared to their competition.

Said Morrison, “Culture is intangible and hard to actively measure, yet it’s easy to sense when you walk into an office. Workplace expression shifts the office from being a passive background to an active cultural lever used to shape employee perceptions, motivations and behaviours. Allowing it to become a location where a company’s vision and mission manifest itself can easily transform a place to work into a best place to work.”

Morrison continued, “This is particularly relevant to companies in Asia given that many countries in the region are battling with high attrition rates among staff and a highly competitive environment to recruit the best candidates. Workplace is increasingly a key differentiator.”

For more information, download the ‘Fully Engaged’ report here.

Autodesk expands availability of Revit’s collaboration service

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Autodesk recently announced the expanded distribution of A360 Collaboration for Revit, a service that works with Revit software to connect project teams with centralized access to BIM project data in the cloud. Released and available in North America only since December 7, 2014. Collaboration for Revit will be available for commercial global use as of today.

Collaboration for Revit helps project teams conquer the barriers of corporate firewalls and physical location by enabling centralized access to Revit models. Team members in all disciplines from multiple firms or sites worldwide can access and work in models hosted in the cloud. This virtual colocation is an improvement over costly and inefficient workarounds for sharing models such as use of FTP sites, sharing software, or email, and adds up to significant benefits that are amplified for global building project teams.

A360 Collaboration for Revit revolutionizes project collaboration by connecting team members within the Revit models where they work.

A360 Collaboration for Revit revolutionizes project collaboration by connecting team members within the Revit models where they work.

Centralized access to project data contributes to more efficient and easily managed collaboration whether within a firm or for projects involving remote participants. “Collaboration for Revit provides us greater flexibility,” says Leo Gonzales, BIM Manager at Newman Architects. “If they’re on the road, at a job site, or just working from home, our users can access their Revit projects as if they’re sitting in one of our offices.”

A360 Collaboration for Revit opens doors to participate in joint ventures and multi-location projects. “Seamless information sharing between joint ventures and project partners is the future of doing business,” says Gonzales. “And Collaboration for Revit gives us that future… today.” The reduced need for in-person meetings or co-location of teams translates to lower travel expenses and better work-life balance for project team members.

Physical distribution of teams enabled by Collaboration for Revit can relieve the requirement for office space for all project team members. Finally, with location not a limiting factor, project leaders have more options for accessing people with the right skill set for a project, resulting in better allocation of team resources

With the Communicator for Revit chat tool that comes with Collaboration for Revit, project team members can communicate directly with each other in real-time, within the project models. A designer in any location can chat with other team members and attach files, images, or Revit screen captures. Using real-time chat within project models helps designers not only to stay in touch but also to know instantaneously who is working in the model and what they are doing.

Collaboration for Revit is tightly integrated with Autodesk A360, providing Revit design and engineering teams a centralized cloud-based workspace in which to work together more efficiently on projects and make more effective decisions. External team members and project contributors who do not use or have access to Revit software can view, search, and socially interact on models, discuss challenges and successes, and stay current with project activities. This is ideal for building owners or others who want to have visibility to the project status, but don’t need full access.

Timely feedback and input from an extended team speeds communication timelines and can help ensure project understanding and buy-in. A360 Collaboration for Revit revolutionizes project collaboration by connecting team members within the Revit models where they work.

AECOM and Pininfarina collaborate for winning design of new Istanbul airpot

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İGA has chosen an innovative design by AECOM and Pininfarina as the winner of an international design competition for the regional Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower and technical building at the Istanbul New Airport. Unusually, the winning entry marries influences from the aviation and automotive sectors, with strong architectural design.

The AECOM and Pininfarina collaboration was chosen from a total of six entries from international architectural teams, including Zaha Hadid, Fuksas, Moshe Safdie, Grimshaw-Nordic and RMJM. The win marks AECOM’s first collaboration with Pininfarina, the design house renowned for its car designs for Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, among others. The collaboration combines the expertise of AECOM’s architectural and engineering teams with Pininfarina’s distinctive architectural style that epitomises speed and movement, influenced by automotive design.

Yusuf Akçayoğlu, chief executive officer of İGA, said, “One of the world’s largest aviation projects, Istanbul New Airport’s air traffic control tower will be an iconic structure, visible to all passengers travelling through the airport. We were looking for a striking design fit for a 21st century airport while remaining sensitive to Istanbul’s unique heritage. We received excellent designs from all over the world and are delighted to announce the AECOM and Pininfarina team as the competition winner.”

The innovative design inspired by the tulip, a unique cultural symbol of Istanbul.

The innovative design inspired by the tulip, a unique cultural symbol of Istanbul.

The ATC will be the landmark for Istanbul New Airport, which is set to be the world’s largest new airport in terms of annual passenger capacity. The competition scope was to deliver the concept designs for the tower, showcasing contemporary sustainable architectural design that reflects the multi-cultural and historical characteristics of Istanbul city.

The AECOM and Pininfarina design evokes the aerodynamic forms used in automotive and aviation design, and includes an elliptical tower that will be visible to all passengers flying in and out of the new airport. The tower shape is inspired by the tulip, which has been the symbol of Istanbul for many centuries and is an important cultural reference in Turkish history.

Bernardo Gogna, senior vice president and director of global aviation, AECOM, said, “Our approach to this competition was to combine the expertise of a different design industry with AECOM’s in-house aviation architecture and engineering capabilities. Our goal was to bring Pininfarina’s values, which are grounded in tradition and craftsmanship, to the world of aviation. The result marries pure iconic beauty with true innovation.”

The design competition is the latest win for AECOM at Istanbul New Airport. Earlier this year it was appointed by İGA to deliver designs for all the airside works at the airport. The new airport will have an initial capacity of 90 million passengers per year. It will be located on the European side of the city, 35 kilometres from the centre on a site adjacent to the Black Sea. Subsequent planned phases will expand the airport to include six runways and three terminal buildings. When all phases are complete, the airport will have an annual capacity of up to 200 million passengers.

İGA is a consortium of five leading Turkish contractors comprising Cengiz, Mapa, Limak, Kolin and Kalyon. İGA was awarded the concession to build Istanbul New Airport as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor and will also be the operator. In October, İGA secured a €4.5 billion loan from a group of six banks for the first phase of the project.

Flanagan Lawrence tops the competition for Szczecin Summer Theatre

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The back of the stage is enclosed acoustically by curved glazed screens.

The back of the stage is enclosed acoustically by curved glazed screens.

The award-winning practice has designed an acoustically optimised outdoor performance space, located in Kasprowicza Park, Szczecin, Poland. The brief called for design proposals to maximise the flexibility of the 1976-designed theatre for a variety of performances on the stage, and to add a new roof to enclose both the stage and the audience.

The underside of the roof, which covers the stage and front of auditorium, will enhance and project the natural acoustic for orchestral events. This is achieved by a roof, which is structurally independent of the existing arch, and is formed by a curved truss that serves as the edge beam to a single cable net structure. This net supports a series of inflated fabric roof panels and suspended acoustic reflectors. Two additional trusses span the stage to support the load of the lighting grid.

Jason Flanagan, Design Director at Flanagan Lawrence.

Jason Flanagan, Design Director at Flanagan Lawrence.

Said Jason Flanagan, “The doubly-curved roof form follows the natural slope of the amphitheatre on the existing hillside to retain the views across the park, and then dramatically lifts over the stage to provide the necessary height for the performance area.”

The back of the stage is enclosed acoustically by curved glazed screens, which offer picturesque views out to Rusalka Lake and create a scenic backdrop to performances. Flanagan Lawrence’s proposal will also up grade the 2,500 seat structure with additional facilities including a box office, bathrooms, a café and a refurbished backstage area. The original structure, including the concrete arch, was designed by Zbigniew Abrahamowicz and opened in 1976.

NIPSEA Group unveils nine colours set to trend across Asia

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The nine trend colours were curated and handpicked by more than 50 design professionals, colour experts and enthusiasts. Image courtesy of NIPSEA Group.

The nine trend colours were curated and handpicked by more than 50 design professionals, colour experts and enthusiasts. Image courtesy of NIPSEA Group.

NIPSEA Group, one of Asia’s leading paint and coatings manufacturers recently launched its second “Trend Beyond Colours”, unveiling nine key colour palettes featured across three inspirational themes: “We Are One”, “New Eco” and “Wonder-Lust.” The nine colours are forecasted to drive utilisation across various industries and applications in 2016 and 2017.

The nine trend colours were curated and handpicked by more than 50 design professionals, colour experts and enthusiasts from all over the Asia Pacific region during the Asia Pacific ChromaZone Colour Forecasting Workshop 2015, organised by Colour Marketing Group (CMG).

“We study and analyse the effects of colours and how behaviour is influenced by colours in Asia to capture the region’s essence,” said Wee Siew Kim, Group CEO of NIPSEA. “We then translate these into nine colours under three themes, to make it easier for our consumers to develop their own stories in the future,” he added.

“We Are One” features modern colours that remind consumers how new age technology and social media are constantly affecting our lives and keeping us connected wherever we are. The second series, “New Eco” celebrates the wonders and simplicity on Nature, bringing consumers back in touch with Nature through the use of stylish yet comforting colours, while “Wonder-Lust” embodies all things YOLO as it explores consumers’ discovery for the perfect balance in life.

Trend Beyond Colours 2016/17 is available for download online. To download or to read it online, visit www.nipponpaint.com.sg/colours/trend-beyond-colours.

Plazit-Polygal launches economic new roofing material

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The easy-to-fit system comes in five colours. Image courtesy of Plazit-Polygal

The easy-to-fit system comes in five colours. Image courtesy of Plazit-Polygal

Plazit-Polygal, a producer of polycarbonate building materials, has launched Topgal, a modular range of translucent roofing material, which is attractive, economic, flexible and easy to install.

The Topgal range is suitable for any building that requires natural light, such as sports stadiums, commercial buildings and even pool enclosures. The Topgal sheets come in five different colours: clear, bronze, ice, blue and polyshade silver. It also comes in a variety of sizes and thickness levels, and delivers different levels of light transmission to meet even the most demanding of needs.

Topgal panels are linked together with easy-to-fit connectors, which create a mechanical lock between the sheets, ensuring that the panels are strong and watertight. Fixture points are hidden and the sheets can be flexed to suit any type of structure.

The Topgal system. Image courtesy of Plazit-Polygal.

The Topgal system. Image courtesy of Plazit-Polygal.

“The Topgal system is translucent but all damaging UV rays are filtered out while heat transference is limited,” said Tito Asher. “It is modular so units can be added as needed,” he added.

The Topgal standing-seam panels and components integrate the unique properties of multi-wall structures to deliver superior strength, rigidity and thermal insulation. Topgal sheets are manufactured in 600 mm and 1,000 mm widths (centre to centre) and in thicknesses from 8 mm to 20 mm. In addition to the standard colours, Plazit-Polygal can tailor special colours and solar radiation levels. Find out more at www.plazit-polygal.com.

Iconic Parisian tower comes to life in Macau

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An artist’s rendering depicts The Parisian Macao, slated to open in the second half of 2016. Image courtesy of Sands China Ltd

An artist’s rendering depicts The Parisian Macao, slated to open in the second half of 2016. Image courtesy of Sands China Ltd

Standing next to another distinguishable Sands development, The Venetian Macao, the replica Eiffel Tower at the Parisian Macao is set to become both a landmark feature and a popular outlook, offering guests and visitors alike spectacular views of Macau’s bustling Cotai Strip.

The Macau Eiffel Tower, which is half the scale of the original, is a faithful replica of the famed 19th century counterpart in Paris, and retains many decorative features of its Paris cousin, including cornice scrolls, balustrades, gussets plates, lattices, staircases and mesh screens around the observation decks.

Global engineering consultants Aurecon was closely involved in the planning and design for the distinctive new structure. The company provided full structural engineering consultancy on the job, and helped manage the difficulties of maintaining an authentic design while addressing the challenges caused by extreme weather, a congested construction site, and the anticipated high number of visitors.

At the project’s outset, Aurecon provided the drafting of the tower using Revit software, which allowed the team to visually represent the complicated design connections in 3D. This made it easier to detect any potential challenges or clashes that might arise during construction even before building work had begun. As a result, this ensured time-consuming amendments at the shop drawing preparation or fabrication stage were avoided.

“The key to recreating this iconic landmark has been strong team work and the close collaboration between the design and construction teams,” says Dr Alecs Chong, Aurecon’s project leader on the Macau Eiffel Tower. Dr Chong says the close co-operation between the design and construction teams started at the earliest stages of the project, and has delivered efficiency improvements from the beginning.

Among the biggest challenges for the design team was addressing the issue of typhoons, which occur seasonally in Macau. In particular, the design team had to ensure it made the correct critical wind loading calculations for the tower in the event of a direct hit from a typhoon.

“We used the Equivalent Static Wind Loads (ESWL) approach developed for towers to determine the critical wind loads,” says Dr Chong. “We also ran a series of studies to investigate the wind-induced dynamic response at the tower’s top peak at various wind speeds. And we then looked at the subsequent impact on human comfort in terms of potential vibrations. Our thorough investigations and scenario planning allowed the project team to ensure not only an aesthetically pleasing and accurate design, but also a safe one.”

A luffing jib crane facilitated the modular construction method on site. Image courtesy of Aurecon.

A luffing jib crane facilitated the modular construction method on site. Image courtesy of Aurecon.

A further challenge for the design team was accounting for the very high number of visitors the attraction is likely to draw. In particular, says Dr Chong, they focused on the footbridge that will connect the tower with an adjacent casino complex. Aurecon and its partners also had to contend with how to get the large steel sections needed for the tower’s construction to the job site and, once there, how to assemble them.

“The port of Macau is neither large enough nor deep enough for the vessels that would normally deliver the oversized steel sections needed,” says Dr Chong. “As a result, the job had to request shallow-hulled vessels, but this limited delivery capacity. This, in turn, meant we had to plan the size of the delivery racks, to maximise delivery capacity and minimise delivery costs, which were estimated as being anything up to a quarter of the overall material cost.” And on the job site itself, there was a challenge presented by the selection of the tower crane needed to place the steel and other building materials.

The solution came in the form of a luffing jib crane, which can articulate its jib between the horizontal and near vertical angles. Using such a crane, and fitting it with a shorter jib, meant less of the lifting force was distributed laterally and more was directed down the crane’s mast. With a maximum hoisting capacity of 28 tons, the crane facilitated the modular construction method on site, overseeing the fast and safe installation of building elements.

Overall, says Dr Chong, being involved on the recreation of the Eiffel Tower on the Parisian Macao Integrated Resort has been a hugely challenging yet rewarding venture for the team at Aurecon. Visit www.aurecongroup.com for more.