Tag Archives: china

Revolutionary Cross-Sea Tunnel & Bridge System In China Has Broken 10 World Records

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Last month China opened the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link – a newly built cross-sea tunnel and bridge system in the Guangdong Province, South China. The impressive architectural wonder broke 10 world records, although pretty specific ones! The Pearl River estuary is where the Pearl River joins the South China Sea, and this is one of the most densely populated places in the world. It includes Hong Kong, Macao, and nine other cities in Guangdong, and they are all separated by large water bodies, which is quite difficult to get around. And the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link has been built to tackle this issue!

The link measures almost 15 miles and is designed to connect the two cities it is named after. Both cities are situated on opposite banks of the Pearl River Estuary. The link isn’t one whole bridge though, it includes an underwater tunnel in the middle, as well as bridges connecting every island to the city. It features eight lanes allowing speeds up to 100 km/h, and it reduces a two-hour drive to only thirty minutes. The link took seven years to construct, and now it finally opened to traffic on June 30.

The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link has set 10 new world records according to the China Global Television Network (CGTN) –

  1. Largest span for a fully offshore steel box girder suspension bridge (1,666 m/5,466 ft)
  2. Highest bridge deck (91 m/299 ft)
  3. Highest navigation clearance for a sea bridge
  4. Largest offshore suspension bridge anchor (344,000 m3 /12 million cubic ft of concrete)
  5. Highest wind resistance test speed for a suspension bridge (83.7 m/273.6 ft per second)
  6. Largest steel bridge deck with hot-mix epoxy asphalt paving (378,800 m2 /4 million sq ft)
  7. Longest two-way, eight-lane immersed tube tunnel (5,035 m/16,519 ft)
  8. Widest underwater steel shell-concrete immersed tube tunnel (up to 55.6 m/182.4 ft)
  9. Largest single-volume cast for a steel-shell immersed tube using self-compacting concrete (29,000 m3 /1 million cubic ft per tube section)
  10. Widest repeatedly foldable M-shaped water stop used in the final joint of an immersed tube tunnel (3 m/9.8 ft)

The tunnel section also has innovative safety features such as novel firefighting and smoke exhaust systems. Fourteen robots patrol the tunnel throughout and monitor the pipes and cables to ensure everything is working well. The team of robots also keeps a lookout for car accidents, and if one does occur, they direct traffic using built-in loudspeakers, while also filming the scene, and transmitting it to a remote control center.

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This Technological Center In China Is A Man-Made Mountain With Terraces & Hanging Gardens

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Stefano Boeri Architetti, the designer of the acclaimed Vertical Forests was commissioned to build a new technology museum in Xi’an, China. This anticipated structure will serve as a tree-covered man-made mountain, allowing visitors to explore on the top, and immerse themselves in nature in the midst of a chaotic metropolis. Dubbed the Culture CBD Modern Technology Experience Center, the building features a unique hilly form that is inspired by the area’s topography, including the mountains, rivers, and the rugged valley.

Designer: Stefano Boeri Architetti

The building will have a curving concrete form amped with expansive glazing on the front-facing facade. The facade will be marked with horizontal slats for shading. The rooftop will feature a stepped exterior and include terraces and walkways, including loads of plants and trees. They will also contain different kinds of shrubs, as well as perennial herbs. Visitors can ascend to the top, and they will be welcomed by beautiful hanging gardens, as well as a massive viewing platform that offers serene views of the city.

“On the roof, the project includes a hanging garden in continuity with the park and a system of terraces that allows visitors to climb up to the building and gain a new look at the surrounding urban panorama,” said Stefano Boeri Architetti. “The green terraces accessible to citizens will be an integral part of the museum’s cultural program of events (the different areas will host screenings, activities, shows, and performances) – as well as offering citizens a new public outdoor space, with unprecedented views of the park and the city. ”

As you enter the museum, you will be greeted by four main exhibition spaces, as well as a temporary exhibition area, and multiple commercial zones. The various sections will be linked by a big double-height central atrium. The decor of the interiors will feature a vibrant and bright blue hue, which was selected on account of its significance and heavy usage in digital design and art. This is a popular choice in the world of digital design, and once you start looking out for it, you’ll find that it is quite widespread.

Currently, nature-inspired architecture in on the rise in China, and the cultural center will be another invaluable and wonderful addition. Although currently, we don’t know when it will be completed, the project is being headed by Stefano Boeri Architetti’s China-based satellite branch, instead of the main Italian studio.

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