T.Y. Lin International Wins 2015 Structural Award for Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
T.Y. Lin International Group (TYLI), a globally recognized full-service infrastructure consulting firm, announces that the firm’s Singapore office, T.Y. Lin International Pte Ltd, received a 2015 Structural Award (Structural Heritage Category) from The Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE) for their role in the restoration of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall in Singapore. Dr. Tan Guan, TYLI’s Director of Building Structures and Qualified Person (QP) and Project Manager for the project, accepted the award at The Structural Awards 2015 ceremony in London on November 13, 2015.
“We are honored to receive such a prestigious international award, and to have our work recognized by international industry experts is extremely rewarding,” said Dr. Tan Guan. “Delivering the project was challenging. Working in conjunction with the National Arts Council, T.Y. Lin International developed a preservation scheme to overcome many structural challenges while protecting the integrity of the sensitive structure.”
Judges from The Structural Awards 2015 called the restoration project a “bold structural undertaking” and noted that “the structural work was carried out with sensitivity and great care for the historical features, further enhancing the building.” They were also impressed with the structural interventions of the project, which restored an intricate, 150-year-old concert hall and upgraded it to modern-day standards. The 2015 judging panel comprised some of the industry’s finest, with a collective knowledge spanning a variety of disciplines, including academia, architecture, construction, sustainability, innovation, and research.
The Structural Awards is an annual event that is organized by IStructE. It is the industry’s most prestigious awards ceremony and celebrates the extraordinary achievements of structural engineers from around the world. In the 2015 awards short list, structures from 13 nations were recognized.
About the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall Project
TYLI provided civil, structural, and mechanical and electrical engineering services for the restoration of the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. Structural challenges included: reinforcing and strengthening the Theatre’s footings and foundations; creating two new underground basements; replacing the Concert Hall’s timber floor with a concrete surface to achieve the acoustic requirements of a 21st century performing arts venue; and removing the non-original columns from the foyer to create an open, welcoming space.
Another key element of the works was the restoration of the façade walls, which had deteriorated over time. The beams were exposed for structural strengthening, using steel plates and the application of protective coatings. A new steel beam was installed where no lintel beam was provided. The façade wall at the loading bay area was also strengthened by the installation of new steel beams and columns to allow the door openings to be enlarged for direct access to the new service lifts. In providing access for irregularly-shaped and large objects, access at the loading bay area was enlarged and new service lifts were constructed.
In ensuring the safety and the preservation of the conserved structures and façade walls, TYLI stipulated several measures for the construction phase. These included a controlled demolition methodology and a work sequence that was carefully planned; controlled pilling work for the basement construction; and extensive monitoring to manage any potential displacements of the conserved structures during the basement excavation, underpinning, and construction.
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