The most recent accomplishment in rapid building in China is getting a lot of press coverage and internet traffic. "30-story building built in 15 days" is a short, slick video that includes time-lapse photography of a slender, 30-story hotel being erected very quickly. The video includes a wealth of claims about the efficiency and sustainability of the building, the safety of the construction process, and the speed.
It is a remarkable achievement, as it was designed to be. The claims bear close scrutiny - the meaning of "20 times more purer air" is not entirely clear, for example – but the basic achievement is still impressive. In fact, one almost suspects that the projects was designed more for the impression than anything else.
The video subtly implies that the 15 days of erection is the same thing as 15 days of construction. Prefabricated floor sections are seen being built, shipped, and installed, but that was almost certainly not the case.
What the editing eliminates is the foundation which must have taken a number of days if not weeks to excavate and pour, not to mention 28 days (hopefully) to cure before the video begins. It also eliminates the prefabrication time, which was doubtless considerable.
In a way, it's a pity they left out most of the pre-fabrication process. It may be the most interesting aspect of this project. One of its best lessons from the project is the power of pre-fabrication
It is a remarkable achievement, as it was designed to be. The claims bear close scrutiny - the meaning of "20 times more purer air" is not entirely clear, for example – but the basic achievement is still impressive. In fact, one almost suspects that the projects was designed more for the impression than anything else.
The video subtly implies that the 15 days of erection is the same thing as 15 days of construction. Prefabricated floor sections are seen being built, shipped, and installed, but that was almost certainly not the case.
What the editing eliminates is the foundation which must have taken a number of days if not weeks to excavate and pour, not to mention 28 days (hopefully) to cure before the video begins. It also eliminates the prefabrication time, which was doubtless considerable.
In a way, it's a pity they left out most of the pre-fabrication process. It may be the most interesting aspect of this project. One of its best lessons from the project is the power of pre-fabrication