Macau Oceanus Casino, China
The former Portuguese colony of Macau is important for the regional economy, and tourism in particular. Gambling is prohibited in nearby Hong Kong and so locating the new Macau Oceanus Casino at the ferry terminal was a very shrewd move. The ferries guarantee a good influx of visitors for the 260 gambling tables and 560 slot machines spread out across the 32.100sqm of floor area in the new casino.
The architects, Simon Kwan & Associates, have used ETFE membrane cushions in irregular forms for the façades. Their idea was to create a truly conspicuous, sculpted exterior. Thanks to the experience of seele covertex, it was possible to comply with the client’s request for an uncommonly tight radius to the outer layer of foil through precise design work, realistic mock-ups and accurate cutting patterns for the ETFE elements. In order to guarantee the necessary structural strength and resistance to wind and water, the complete membrane cushion system was subjected to an intensive series of tests after production. In total, seele covertex fabricated 462 cushions in 176 different forms with a total area of 6.460sqm.
The architects, Simon Kwan & Associates, have used ETFE membrane cushions in irregular forms for the façades. Their idea was to create a truly conspicuous, sculpted exterior. Thanks to the experience of seele covertex, it was possible to comply with the client’s request for an uncommonly tight radius to the outer layer of foil through precise design work, realistic mock-ups and accurate cutting patterns for the ETFE elements. In order to guarantee the necessary structural strength and resistance to wind and water, the complete membrane cushion system was subjected to an intensive series of tests after production. In total, seele covertex fabricated 462 cushions in 176 different forms with a total area of 6.460sqm.
At night, the red, yellow, blue, green and violet coloured effects of some 6.000 LEDs seem to make the building come alive. The two-layer ETFE membranes are coated blue on the outside and the pattern of silver dots printed on the inner layers achieves a degree of shading of 63%. Besides development and production, seele covertex was also responsible for supervising erection.
The decorative, colourful envelope of the new casino is visible from afar and has become a distinctive landmark in Macau.
The decorative, colourful envelope of the new casino is visible from afar and has become a distinctive landmark in Macau.
