The main island of Singapore is just 263 square miles, making it one of the
smallest countries in the world. But this little country is attempting to
become a big player in global tourism with an ambitious plan to nearly
double the number of visitors by 2015. The key part of that plan: the
Marina Bay Sands Resort. It's the largest construction project in this
country's history and the most expensive building on the planet, at $5.5
billion. After three years of working around the clock, workers have
now reached the final and most difficult stage of construction. If they don't
finish by opening date in March, delays will cost up to $100 million a
month.
World's Largest and Highest Elevated Public Park
Singapore is known as the Garden City, so the crowning element atop the
entire project will be the world's largest and highest floating park, the
Sands SkyPark. This one of a kind public space will be perched atop the
hotel's three 55-story towers. Once finished, the SkyPark will be longer
than the Eiffel Tower, making it the largest cantilevered public space in the
world. To hoist the 7,000 ton structure over 600 feet up, engineers will
attempt to lift 14 segments with a bridge-building technology in what will
be the highest strand-jacking operation ever.
First Rollercoaster Construction Gantry in Construction History
Lifting the SkyPark is just the first step. After the segments are lifted, they
must be covered with specially designed protective cladding. 9,000
composite material panels will be installed from a one of a kind traveling
gantry. In a construction first, the gantry will travel on rollercoaster-like
rails hanging precariously from the underside of the SkyPark, 700 feet
above the street.
Singapore's Iconic Museum
The Art-Science Museum will be Singapore's version of the Sydney Opera
House. The iconic structure will resemble a welcoming hand on the edge of
the waterfront, with galleries housed in suspended 40 foot long steel fingers that will hang from the museum's central core. The core will also capture rainwater, and channel it into an indoor waterfall through the atrium below. Each massive segment is unique, so building this structure is like assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle, one piece at a time.
Biggest Casino Atrium with the World's Largest Chandelier
A key part of Singapore's plan to increase tourism is the Marina Bay Sands
Casino, the country's first legalized gambling venue. Covering 160,000
square feet over four floors, it will be the largest casino atrium in the world.
installing the world's largest chandelier in this massive atrium is precise
work because the ceiling structure is still settling in unpredictable ways.
Each section of the 7-ton chandelier must be 3D scanned to make sure it fits
perfectly into its unique location.
World's First Transformable Amphitheater
The resort will literally spill into Singapore's Marina Bay with a 10,000-
person event plaza built right in the water. What makes this outdoor
amphitheater so unique is its ability to transform itself for different events.
The seating platforms will stand on motorized screw jacks, so they can be
lowered to face the marina for water shows, or raised to face the resort for
land events.
