SINGAPORE'S VEGAS, Marina Bay Sand Project (Engineering Megastructures)

• Report rights infringement
• published: 31 Dec 2014
• views: 16988

SINGAPORE'S VEGAS, Marina Bay Sand Project (Engineering Megastructures) Marina Bay Sands is an integrated resort fronting Marina Bay in Singapore. Developed by Las Vegas Sands (LVS), it is the world's most expensive building, at US$ 4.7 billion, including the cost of the prime land. Marina Bay Sands is situated on 15.5 hectares of land with the gross floor area of 581,000 square metres. The iconic design has transformed Singapore's skyline and tourism landscape since it opened on 27 April 2010. The property has a hotel, convention and exhibition facilities, theatres, entertainment venues, retailers and restaurants. Las Vegas Sands initially committed to invest S$3.85 billion in the project, not including the fixed S$1.2 billion cost of the 6,000,000 square feet (560,000 m2) site itself. With the escalating costs of materials, such as sand and steel, and labour shortages owing to other major infrastructure and property development in the country, Sheldon Adelson placed the total cost of the development at S$8 billion as of July 2009. Las Vegas Sands declared the undertaking as "one of the world's most challenging construction projects and certainly the most expensive stand-alone integrated resort property ever built". It expects the casino to generate at least $1 billion in annual profit. Two months after the initial phased opening, the casino attracts around 25,000 visitors daily, about a third being Singaporeans and permanent residents who pay a $80 daily entry levy or $2,000 for annual unlimited access. Half a million gamblers passed through the casino in June 2010. In the third quarter of 2012, the revenues of the Marina Bay Sands fell almost 28 per cent from a year earlier. For the economy, Marina Bay Sands is projected to stimulate an addition of $2.7 billion or 0.8% to Singapore's Gross Domestic Product by 2015, employing 10,000 people directly and 20,000 jobs being created in other industries. Moshe Safdie was approached to lead the design on this massive project, ultimately taking inspiration from the form of card decks for the unique appearance of the three hotel towers. Other key structures of the property include the 200,000-square-foot (19,000 m2) ArtScience Museum, The Shoppes, Expo and Convention center and the casino. During the resort's planning and construction phases, feng shui consultants, the late Master Chong Swan Lek and Master Louisa Ong-Lee were consulted in regards to divination. The engineering for the project was headed by Arup and Parsons Brinkerhoff (MEP/ELV). Arup had originally worked on prestigious projects such as the Beijing National Aquatics Centre and the Sydney Opera House. In spite of their experience in constructing challenging designs, the Marina Bay Sands project was described as the 'most difficult to carry out in the whole world' due to the amount of integration of the varied and advanced technologies needed to complete the project. Ssangyong E&C; won the contract at 6.86 million dollar and completed the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, sloping up to 52 degrees from the ground surface in June, 2010. The extensive background music system was installed by Singapore based contractor Electronics & Engineering Pte Ltd. Supply & Installation & Commissioning of Electrical & Mechanical System(M&E;) by Shin Nippon Air Technologies Co., Ltd The Marina Bay Sands hotel has three 55-story towers with 2,561 luxury rooms and suites, and is capped by the Sands SkyPark, which offers 360-degree views of Singapore's skyline. The SkyPark is home to restaurants, gardens, a 150-metre vanishing edge pool, manufactured by Natare Corporation in Indianapolis, Indiana, and the world's largest public cantilever housing an observation deck. This architectural marvel stands at a height of 200 metres and boasts 12,400 square metres of space. Dining options at the Skypark include restaurant Sky on 57 (by local celebrity chef Justin Quek), restaurant and nightclub KU DÉ TA, and executive club lounge The Club at Marina Bay Sands. To help the Skypark withstand the natural motion of the towers caused by wind, engineers designed and constructed four movement joints beneath the main pools, each possessing a unique range of motion. The total range of motion is 500 millimetres (19.68 inches). In addition to wind, the hotel towers are also subject to settlement in the earth over time, hence custom jack legs were built and installed to allow for future adjustment at more than 500 points beneath the pool system. This jacking system is important primarily to ensure the infinity edge of the pool continues to function properly. Connected to the hotel towers are the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands Casino and The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow us: Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/107915259835824323237/+Lalit4554 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Lalit4554 Twitter: https://twitter.com/LKYTV