that would run alongside the multi-
function parking complex and lead to
the food court.
However, as Schokking points out, the
client decided to change the design it to
a “pyramid wall”, which features huge
pyramids that are clad with translucent
Onyx stone – expected to make for
particularly impressive viewing when
lit up at night.
Two firms are handling the showcases
that will house the thousands of ancient
artefacts set to be displayed once the
museum opens, which is set for 20
October, 2020, according to Moftah.
Based out of the Italian city of Milan
is Goppion, which designs, develops,
and builds display cases and museum
installations, is working on the project.
Tasked with carrying out half of the
museum’s displays cases and
installations, the group is known
for designing the first display
case for Leonardo Da Vinci’s
Mona Lisa in Paris’ Musee
de Louvre. The company
recently took the contract to
design a high-tech display case
for the museum.
Germany’s Glasbau Hahn is
also providing display cases for GEM.
Headquartered in Frankfurt, the group
has provided glass cases for some of
the world’s most prominent attractions,
including the Westminster Abbey.
“There are not that many reputable
showcase manufacturers, so these are
probably two of the best ones – or at
least in the top five,” Schokking says.
“They are each doing half. Most of
these cases are already on site, or at least
in part. Installation is supposed
to start soon. The galleries are
generally quite dark to focus
as much as possible on the
objects,” he adds.
“Because there is a lot of
gold in the Tutankhamun
collection in particular,
lighting is being used to really
focus on the objects.”CONSTRUCTION TIMELINE
To date, around 320,000m^3 of concrete
has been poured at the project, with
the structure’s complex shape needing
620,000m^2 of formwork. Overall works
at the project stand at 93%, Schokkingexplains, noting concrete and steel
works are at 99% and 98% respectively.
Mechanical, electrical, and
plumbing, and finishing works are
also progressively solidly, respectively
standing at 84% and 96%.
“Our aim is to complete the majority
of the building work by the end of this
year,” Schokking explains.
“The only thing that is not in our
scope is the placement of the artefacts.
This is fully done by the client and the
conservation team.
“We still have our maintenance
period and defect liability period
where we can do snagging work, or
when something breaks down, we will
then have to fix it. But, in principle,
we will hand over the key, they install
the artefacts, and it’s [the Egyptian
government’s to manage].”“NOWADAYS YOU
WOULD CONSIDER
THAT COMPLETELY
NORMAL – EVERY
PROJECT GENERALLY
GETS DONE USING
BIM. BUT, BEAR IN
MIND, THIS PROJECT
WAS AWARDED END-
2011 TO EARLY-2012,
AND AT THAT TIME
IT WAS QUITE AN
IMPRESSIVE FEATURE
TO DO IT FULLY
THROUGH BIM.”
The project is due to
complete in 2020.FOLLOW
CONSTRUCTION
WEEK
@CWMIDDLEEASTWWW.CONSTRUCTIONWEEKONLINE.COM 3 - 30 AUGUST, 2019 CONSTRUCTION WEEK 33
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