Hong Kong International Airport Midfield Concourse
Hong Kong
Best Project

Owner Airport Authority Hong Kong
Contractor Gammon Construction Ltd.
Lead Designer Mott MacDonald Arup JV

Handling more than 68 million passengers annually as one of Asia’s busiest travel hubs, Hong Kong International Airport has undertaken multiple projects to expand its capacity. The recently opened Midfield Concourse adds room for at least 10 million more passengers per year and is now serving about 20% of the airport’s passenger volume.

Designed by a joint venture of Mott MacDonald and Arup and built by China-based contractor Gammon Construction, the 1.13-million-sq-ft concourse consists of five levels and 20 aircraft stands. The Mott MacDonald-Arup JV also provided construction support services and was assisted in design by architect Aedas.

The concourse boasts numerous green design features, including high-performance glazing panels, solar shading, energy-saving lighting systems and north-facing skylights, which maximize the use of natural light. The concourse’s roof features nearly 13,000 sq ft of solar panels. The air-conditioning system uses recycled water; seawater is used for flushing. These and other green design elements have helped the project to achieve a “provisional gold” status under Hong Kong’s so-called BEAM Plus sustainability assessment program.

Design work on the project began in June 2010. Early on, a decision was made to focus on a complete building-information-modeling approach for the project. While the owner, the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK), had requested the use of only a 3D computer model for clash detection, the project team opted to go with BIM full on, an unusual choice as the technology was not widely used in Hong Kong construction projects at the time.

According to project leaders, using a unified BIM model paid off in multiple ways. The team was able to maximize the overall spatial efficiency of the design, helping them to get the most out of the constrained site and devise better construction sequencing.

One judge remarked that the “use of BIM from the outset of the project was visionary and shows a clear commitment to deliver a modern, state-of-the-art facility.” Based on the successful use of the model on this project, AAHK now requires BIM to be used on all its projects.

Construction began in 2011, and the project was completed on schedule in December 2015. “The Midfield Concourse’s timely opening is the result of a collaborative effort of client, contractor, lead design consultants and their subconsultants,” said David Mepham, Mott Macdonald’s director for buildings in aviation, at the inauguration of the new concourse. “[It] demonstrates our technical expertise in delivering a large capital works program.”

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