The New World Centre is a hotel and office building complex in Kowloon, Hong Kong. Originally, the New World Centre consisted of two hotels, two office towers, a shopping center and apartments. It was closed in 2010 in order to build a new 66-storey high multifunctional building.

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307 glass tubes | 69 tubes with CCF technology | 919sqm aluminium cladding | 283sqm glass wall system

seele’s scope of work included the design, fabrication and installation of the new glass tube façade. Furthermore, seele was responsible for approx. 919sqm aluminium cladding, massive stainless steel portals, door systems, a movable skylight (12 x 8m), balustrades and façades in the interior. The tube façade consists of 307 tubes made of laminated safety glass, 238 half and 69 full tubes with a height of 9m and 90mm diameter. The half-tubes are connected with aluminium profiles and each is fitted with a polished duplex-stainless steel lid (base and top) fixed with structural silicone. The full tubes are constructed according to the CCF technology (Closed Cavity Façade).

© seele

© seele

Thereby, the space between inner and outer façade is encapsulated. Dried air can be supplied with slight overpressure so that no condensate or dirt is deposited on the glass tubes. Furthermore, the tubes are self supporting and designed for high wind loads.

© seele

Another highlight of the façade is the special LED technology in which the lights can be switched separately. Moreover, seele built different visual and performance mock-ups. Since the climatic and static requirements for a building in Hong Kong are particularly high, the local building authorities required static proofs, reports and two performance mock-ups. Due to the high competence in testing, seele received the approval for the implementation of the glass tube facade.

© seele

Unique glass tube façade with CCF-system

The special feature of this project is the implementation of a unique façade made of 307 glass tubes. The prefabricated tubes, of which 238 are half-tubes and 69 are full tubes with CCF technology, are subject to special requirements as they have to withstand certain wind loads and movements in the building. A temporary production facility was set up in Hong Kong to implement the innovative façade. This measure was necessary in order to simplify logistics and ensure constant ventilation of the space between the full tubes.

Installation of 9m long glass tubes with a special trussing system and tower crane. © seele

Visual mock-up. © seele

Polished duplex stainless steel lids. © seele

The CCF-system is integrated in 69 full tubes. They are designed with separated pipe systems, each with one air supply system, in order to provide the spatially separated east and west façade individually. At the lower end of each tube a small ventilation is integrated for ensuring a pressure compensation. A special LED lighting technology is installed between the tubes, which can be switched separately for drawing attention to the new building with its extraordinary façade.

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Article courtesy of seele