The 33-storey
building which comprises 274 rooms, was designed and built by the same company,
Paul Y-ITC Group. This approach allowed the designer and contractor to work out
on a design based on buildability promoting the use of precast construction.
Apart from non-typical elements on the top floor and the podium, the hotel was
built by 322 standard modules with semi-precast slabs and precast façade units.
The ground floor is mainly for vehicular accesses, with a lobby on the first
floor.
The façade units
were fabricated at Paul Y-ITC’s factory in Yuen Long. Two types of steel moulds
were used for casting end modules and middle modules. Ceramic tiles and glazing
were also affixed at the factory. The glazing was tested at the factory before
transportation to the site for installation.
The cost
which was more expensive than timber formwork, was justified by the number of
modules required. The steel mould could be used over and over again.
The semi-precast
slabs were hoisted and positioned over the walls and façade units to form the
lower layer of the floor slab. They served as permanent formworks, part of the
permanent structure.
The advantage
is that both time and labour were saved because there was no need to dismantle
the formwork.
Dry wall
system was used for the internal partitions. The lightweight material reduced
the dead load imposed on the structure, and wet trades were avoided. Also, it
provided a smooth wall finish.
The risk
associated with working outdoors is usually taken into account in the tender
price of contractors. Since these risks were effectively removed by the
construction method used, the prices were reduced allowing cost savings of 3-4%.