d+a | Issue 116 • Jun/July 2020

/ HOSPITALITY / 58 First, 312 pieces of precast reinforced concrete walls were insulated and installed throughout the site. With the foundation in place, the architect team erected 66 supporting columns. In order to minimise any potential damage, the placement of each column was dictated by the location of the archaeological findings. In total, 20,000 tons of hand-welded structural steel was used. This is four times more than what the Eiffel Tower boasts of. This formed the multi-storey structure’s framework. EAA then realised that the best course of action would be to utilise modular construction that would minimise any potential 3. Archaeologists working on the 15,000m 2 floor mosaic. 4–5. Structural steel criss-cross above the ground to support the hotel, while the columns were carefully placed to minimise impact on the site. 3 4 5