Excel™ UHPC Enhances the large Scale Façade Construction of Shenzhen Luhu Cultural Center

In our interview with Guangzhou Xinshang Arts, a leading precast concrete company in China, learn how Excel™ UHPC, supported by our global and local teams, assisted to overcome design challenges, improve production efficiency, and deliver exceptional results for the large-scale façade of this iconic cultural project in Shenzhen.

Shenzhen Luhu Cultural and Technology District, co-designed by Studio Link-Arc and CCDI, is envisioned as a collection of cultural buildings aimed at strengthening Longhua’s position as a hub for technology and innovation while enhancing the quality of public life in the area. 

Key Project Highlights:

Project Area: 76,890 square meters of total area. The core of the project consists of three public buildings—a theater, an art center, and a library. Additionally, the project includes a science museum and office buildings.

Facade Area: 58,000 square meters of facade, with nearly 40,000 square meters to be constructed using Excel UHPC by Guangzhou Xinshang Arts.

Design Concept: Inspired by natural mountain forms, blending nature and culture into a visually stunning architectural statement.
 

In the interview, Xinshang Arts shared how Excel UHPC met the unique façade demands of the Shenzhen Luhu Cultural Center project. Below are key takeaways from their experience:

Providing Architectural Flexibility

Versatile Material

The versatility of Excel UHPC enabled architects to bring their vision of a mountain-inspired façade to life, replicating natural stone textures through targeted selection of framework and surface treatments, offering true architectural freedom. 

Fast Flowing Property

Excel UHPC ‘s fast flowing property can easily accommodate complex framework shapes, facilitating the production of box-like panels in this project. 

Delivering Strength and Durability

Ultra High Performance

With a compressive strength exceeding 120 MPa, UHPC panels met the rigorous structural requirements for large-scale panel designs.

Enhanced Durability

Excel easily mixes with different types of fibres, including stainless-steel fibres in this project, increasing flexural strength to prevent cracking and deformation, even in the extreme weather conditions, ensuring a longer lifespan.

Ensuring Cost Efficiency  

Flexible production processes and controllable manufacturing costs of Excel UHPC ensure projects stay within budget, even for highly customized designs.

High Strength and Flowability

Self-compacting and fast-flowing properties of Excel UHPC ensured smooth casting process, including the complex box-like elements. Its compatibility with fibres allowed the production of high density, smooth surfaces. With a compressive strength exceeding 120 MPa, it also demonstrated superior tensile strength, shrinkage control, and durability, making it ideal for oversized panels.

“Excel UHPC, with its strength exceeding 120 MPa, offered a significant advantage in meeting the demands of such large-scale components.”
          -----Susan He,General Manager of Guangzhou Style Arts

Comprehensive Technical Support 

Cementir’s overseas and local teams worked closely with the precaster to refine the mixing process and conduct multiple trial castings. These efforts were tailored to adapt to local climate conditions and construction practices, ensuring optimal workability for oversized panels while maintaining high performance standards.

“Local technical expert of Aalborg Portland collaborated closely with our team, having regular communication and providing timely feedback, which we see as a testament to their excellent service.”
           ----Susan He,General Manager of Guangzhou Style Arts

Reliable and Predictable Performance

Excel UHPC premix is fully documented and offers predictable performance, enabling on-site customization within predefined parameters. This ensures consistent results, including flatness, precision, and structural stability required by project owner, even for uniquely sized panels, while optimizing efficiency and quality.

“The façade panels for the four sections have been completed, and the owners and architects are quite satisfied with the overall presentation.”
            ----Susan He,General Manager of Guangzhou Style Arts

Both the owners and architects are very satisfied with the completed façade of all four sections. Next, work will begin on the remaining façades, which are expected to be completed by May 2025.

Upon completion in 2025, the Luhu Cultural Center will become the largest earth-sheltered project of its kind in Asia. From the mountaintop, the entire structure will blend seamlessly into the natural landscape, creating a harmonious connection between the building and nature. The project will include a 1,200-seat grand theater, an 800-seat black box theater, a library, and an art museum, covering a total area of 180,000 square meters, both above and below ground.

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