Building & Investment (Jul - Aug 2016) (Jul - Aug 2016) | Page 12

Project Highlight

Thailand’s tallest building a reality thanks
to Aurecon’s engineering expertise
The 314-metre, 77-storey MahaNakhon Tower is the tallest skyscraper in Thailand today,
thanks to the work of a dedicated team working on the project including Aurecon.

BY THE end of the year, Thailand’s capital
city, Bangkok, will have a new addition to its
already impressive skyline, the MahaNakhon
Tower. With a striking design resembling
computer pixels, the skyscraper is set to
become the country’s tallest building standing
at 314 metres tall and 77-storey high.
The developer, Pace Development
Corporation, enlisted the help of global
engineering firm, Aurecon, to undertake
peer review work on the building’s design

and construction. As a leading consultant
in skyscraper design, Aurecon helped Pace
to achieve a higher level of confidence in
meeting the required performance and
statutory requirements, including safety and
construction timeline. Given the building’s
unique pixel design, the building required
a tougher engineering review to ensure
optimum structural efficiency.
The work involved a comprehensive
review of MahaNakhon’s engineering details,

covering structural and mechanical, electrical
and plumbing (MEP) designs as well as the
construction method statement. The MEP
system has a long-term impact on operating
and maintenance costs and is critical to any
building’s tenants.
“Aurecon is a leading global expert in
tall buildings with a reputation that has been
bolstered in Asia through our involvement
in some of the region’s super-tall landmarks,
including the 632-metre Shanghai Tower in
China and the 462-metre Vincom Landmark
81 in Vietnam. Both are the tallest buildings in
their respective countries. We are honoured to
be involved in the MahaNakhon development
and to help bring this iconic development to
completion,” said Dr Assawin Wanitkorkul,
Technical Director – Buildings of Aurecon
in Thailand.
Supertall structures are complex so their
design will always require higher levels of
engineering consultation. With its experience
from working on other tall buildings,
Aurecon worked with the developer and
main contractor Bouygues-Thai to ensure
the structural integrity of the building under
Bangkok’s soft soil conditions, wind and
seismic factors, among others. n
More information at www.aurecongroup.com

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