Out of this world: the International Space Station.
On March 6 and 7 the doors will be flung open and the public invited in to mingle among and marvel upon hitherto hidden wonders.
The bad news first: sadly, this isn’t the opening of Willy Wonka’s first Scottish chocolate factory. Now the good news: the open doors lead into construction sites all over the UK, giving us a chance to see the world hiding behind the hoardings.
Organised by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG), the Scottish Contractors Group (SCG), the Industry Training Board and Sector Skills Council, CITB, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) and the Considerate Constructors Scheme, the Open Doors event promises a safe and unique look at construction.
And you don’t even have to be a building buff to enjoy these guided tours: among those being welcomed by the industry’s top professionals will be families, students and local business owners – all of whom will be able to discover how the building sector is busy creating or redeveloping the structures that form the backbone of our local communities.
For those interested in a career in the industry, however, visiting the sites will offer much more: a clearer and often detailed understanding of how design and construction teams work together to create the buildings we so often take for granted.
And just like Zippy, George and Bungle, we can even go up above the streets and houses: not on a rainbow flying high, alas, but via access to rooftops from whose vantage points we can enjoy awesome cityscapes and breathtaking skylines.
As the construction industry gets ready to showcase its local talents, we take you one step further, with our own look at some of the grandest feats of human ingenuity taking place in 2015.
Welcome to the lowdown on the some of the biggest, most ambitious construction projects happening right now around the globe . . . and beyond!
Beijing’s International Airport
The Beijing International Airport is being developed to cater for the huge global interest in securing shares in China’s burgeoning economy and industry base. Construction began in December of 2014 but is not expected to finish until October 2018. By then the airport will host 130 million passengers per year and boast nine runways – it’s definitely not the place to let granny wander off in search of duty free half an hour before boarding. More mind-boggling is the fact this improved facility is needed just to share the load with the rest of the city’s airports – by the time of completion, Beijing is expected to see 500 million air passengers every year!
Dubailand
With its mix of theme parks, science attractions, sports venues and hotels, this $64 billion entertainment complex will boast six separate fun zones: that’s more than most human bodies, even Russell Brand’s. The complex will be three times the size of Walt Disney World, will have the world’s largest hotel, incorporating 6500 rooms, and one of the world’s biggest shopping centres (best keep your eye on granny here too!) . . . all this, as well as a Dreamworks theme park, a Marvel Superheroes park and a Donald Trump golf course (gramps might want the watching too!). The project began in 2003, halting in 2008 and then restarting again in 2013. It is hoped it will be completed by 2020.
London Crossrail
This £15 billion project will seek to connect each part of London via an intricate network of underground tunnels, but on a much larger scale and distance than the underground could ever hope to achieve. Not much consolation for any tax payer stuck in traffic on the M8, granted, it is no doubt great news if you’re a Londoner or tourist. It will stretch 73 miles and has been under construction since 2008: the latest news is the remains of 5000 people are about to be unearthed as excavation reaches a burial site at Bedlam in Liverpool Street. Such grisly finds aside, the link could be in operation by 2018. We can only pray no Wombles will be harmed in the making of this project.
New Valley Development Project
The aim of this $90 billion project is to carry water through a system of canals to irrigate the Saharan wastelands in Western Egypt and make the vast and largely unused area habitable for Egyptian people. The project has been prepared by the Ministry of Agriculture to irrigate five million acres and reclaim one million acres. Minister Adel El-Beltagy says the increase will occur by providing half a million acres of land once used in open canals to be used in the expansion of cultivated areas. A completion date has been set for 2017. As part of the project, the Mubarek Pump Station was completed in 2003 and is the world’s biggest pumping station, capable of handling 25 million cubic meters a day.
International Space Station
Heeeere I aaaam, floating in a tin can . . . You’re quite right, this isn’t a new project. In fact, it’s been hanging around in the heavens almost as long as David Bowie’s Major Tom. However, given the original space station was launched in 1998, upgrades are necessary to ensure the project continues working at full capacity. This marvel of human construction circles our planet every 92 minutes, and now $60 billion is being pumped into it for essential maintenance to ensure it can continue its Earth-orbiting mission. The upgrades will be completed within the next two years, which should give the Major time to get his bearings and back in touch with ground control.
Would you like to be involved in the next big construction project? Search the latest construction jobs on s1jobs.com