Main Structure of Hong Kong Palace Museum Capped

The main structure of the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) in West Kowloon Cultural District, contracted by China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd (CSCEC), was capped on Nov 18.

A major cultural project of the Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the HKPM construction started on June 29, 2017 and the museum is expected to play a key role in promoting traditional Chinese culture and cultural exchanges.

The design of the HKPM combines characteristics of the urban culture of Hong Kong as well as traditional Chinese visual and spatial arts.

An inclined fair-faced concrete structure and a four-layer cantilever structure were used to build the external walls.

The largest cantilever is 14.6 meters long and consists of 100-millimeter thick and 12-ton formed-steel components.

A total of 3,999 curved aluminum plates with holes were also installed on the external walls, realizing a soft and streamlined effect.

What's more, each component is different from the others to perfect the cone-shaped walls.

Smart technologies played an indispensable role in the construction.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) technology and a three-dimensional (3D) model were widely used to manage the project.

Based on the BIM 3D model, the accuracy and efficiency of the HKPM's scientific spatial arrangement and detailed design were greatly improved.

In addition, more than 50 monitoring cameras, 70 sensors of the internet of things and artificial analysis software were installed and used in the smart construction site, realizing real-time supervision of eight kinds of environmental data including PM2.5, PM10, noise and temperature.

Real-time monitoring systems collect data of dust, optical fiber security, fire risks, unsafe acts of workers and on-site records.

Virtual Reality is also applied to immerse employees in systematical safety education.

Construction of the HKPM is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2021, and the facility will open to the public in mid-2022. At that time, residents in Hong Kong will be able to enjoy a brand-new experience in Palace Museum.

The main structure of the Hong Kong Palace Museum, contracted by CSCEC, is capped on Nov 18. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]

(Executive editor: Wang Ruoting)