M+, Hong Kong
M+ clinched the Grand Award in the Hong Kong non-residential project category. Working in collaboration with architects Herzog & de Meuron and TFP Farrells, Arup provided total engineering design services for this new landmark in the West Kowloon Cultural District.
The building sits directly above tunnels for the MTR Airport Express and Tung Chung Line, which runs just 1.5m below ground level. In addition to controlling tunnel movements during the construction stage in accordance with the strict limits set by Hong Kong’s transit and building authorities, we designed five mega transfer trusses to span the M+ structure over the tunnels. The two transfer trusses supporting the vertical tower of M+ are 18m deep, span 55m and each carry around 30,000 tonnes of load, which is equivalent to 1,000 fully laden double decker buses. Our structural solution also helped create the museum’s subterranean display space called the ‘Found Space’.