Cinematic aluminium roofing

Can an almost 7,000 m² large roof structure with aluminium roof cover be completed in only eight weeks? The curved arch roofs of a holiday resort in Singapore, probably not – or perhaps yes?

Yet again a superlative construction makes the headlines. Once again the architecture and the construction itself is benefi ting from the professional tinsmith technology and again this technology comes from Europe – to be precise from Moritzburg in Saxony. This is where BOEHME^® SYSTEMS Gmbh is located, a company specialising in the manufacture of system shingles. The various materials used can be provided in diamond, rhomboid and oblong shapes, and are suitable for various applications – for example the cover of arched roofs.

And it’s exactly these arched roofs that impress the visitors to the “World Sentosa Resort”. The unusual shaped aluminium roof landscape seems to originate from another world, reminds one of the magical giant mushrooms in Avatar style or the movie-set of an episode of Star Wars. This is no coincidence, as the aluminium spanned construction complex of the resort belongs to a 49 ha large leisure park, where both the “Universal Studios Singapore“ and the “Dream Works Digital Animation Studio” count among the main attractions. This resort, located on the Sentosa Island off the Singapore coast, furthermore offers 22 theme rides, a casino and the largest aquarium in the world. A further highlight is a 450 m water slide that snakes though the tropical vegetation of a rain-forest water park. In addition new hotels are being built with over 1,800 rooms and plenty of shopping experiences, restaurants and wellness opportunities.

Sentosa-Vision

The architecture of the resort by the star architect Michael Graves blends in with the island’s environment and hereby fortifies the typical qualities of the area. The ambience of the buildings benefits also from the natural materials, textures and colours used. Another element not to be underestimated is the tropical forest, which Michael Graves sees as a contrasting backdrop to the existing constructions. The tropical nature, however, does not only run through the architecture like a red ribbon. Even the Website features give subtle indications of the breathtaking nature of this beautiful island.

The complexity of the facade and roof design of the resort poses a unique challenge. Carefully selected large surface stone facades, high protection glazed windows and door systems and secure roofing guarantee the best possible results with regard to aesthetics, solar and acoustic performance and weather tightness. In addition the buildings have extensive access balconies and canopies. Traditionally these elements would have been covered with laminated safety glass or ceramic tiles. The selection of materials, however, fell to ethylenetetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), a fluorinated copolymer with low weight and high light and UV-transmittance. ETFE is extremely light and able to compensate for the large movements of the supporting structures.

Building strategy

Equally high demands were placed on the selection of materials for the roofi ng design. Above all reliability in situations of high wind pressure and strong tropical rainfall had to be ensured. Also the optical requirements were high. Besides a natural optic as far as possible the roofi ng material was to have high UV and sea water durability. Finally the selection was made for colour coated aluminium in seamed quality with a material strength of 0.7 mm. The PVDF-coated aluminium fl at-seam system of the hotel roofs at almost 7,000 m² almost gives the effect of true copper. Besides the material plan complements the green image of the resort and also improves the indoor climate of the buildings. The facades and roofi ng works for the Universal Studios in Singapore thus cover a signifi cant area within the resort‘s global development.

Shingle technology

BOEHME^® SYSTEMS GmbH received the order in March 2009 to manufacture and supply rectangular shingles in the format 1,000 x 500 mm for an area of 6,812 m². A special characteristic of the 0.7 mm aluminium shingles are the unnotched seams in the hidden area. A specially developed shingle machine forms the seams and back bends with appropriate fold technology. Thus the system shingles display a high level of protection against wind pressure, driving rain and wind uplift. Additionally all seams are provided with a 6 mm U-edging.

Besides climatic and optical requirements the Japanese general contractor placed special emphasis on the dimensional accuracy of the shingles. So the maximum dimensional deviation of the shingle size was set at +/- 0.3 mm – a strict criterion that could, however, be executed thanks to the modern production technology.

The local assembly team comprised up to 160 workers at peak times. Only in that way it was possible to comply with the tight timetable of eight weeks to finish the entire roofing work. Assembly workers from the whole of Asia were involved. With the perfect organisation and the perfect measurement of the shingles the local assembly workers were able to provide a convincing standard of work without any notable delays. This again shows what is possible with modern tinsmith technology. It is only a pity that this top performance will never be filmed.

Environmentally friendly characteristics

The resort integrates the key elements of water and nature with a suitable building shape. Carefully detailed emphasis on facades, the use of natural materials and colours as well as the extensive greenery create a special architectural experience. The purposefully implemented sun protection measures, such as overhanging slanted roofs, access balconies, trellises and grilles bring the location into harmony with the tropical climate.

In addition many arcades offer the visitor protection from the effects of the tropical climate, the hot sun and tropical rainfall, which in other words means additional comfort.

 

Building blackboard

Roof system:
BOEHME^® SYSTEMS Classic Shingle, Type Rectangle L
1,000 x 500 mm
0.7 mm Aluminium

Architect:
Michael Graves

Construction:
RC Building Pte Ltd.

Manufacturer:
BOEHME^® SYSTEMS GmbH
www.boehme-systems.com