Battling the Rain
Already weeks behind schedule, the Ice World construction team must now scramble to work against the torrential rain. However, the treacherous weather environment raises concerns over the safety of the crew.
Early Complications
After draining out the quarry’s water, the Ice World team discovers the quarry’s floor structure is not as stable as what was anticipated. As a result, the engineering team must go back to the drawing board to rethink the design of the building.
The Pandemic Halts Construction
With only weeks to go before Ice World’s grand opening, the team prepares the building’s final touches. However, when news of COVID-19 captures the world’s attention, the rigorous work on Ice World is brought to a sudden halt.
A Grueling Job
Cao Ping, the site manager of Ice World, has been away on-site for most of his two-year-old son’s life. See how he works around the clock to ensure the resort’s timely completion.
Episode 5 Preview | Ice World
Over the top, ambitious and nature-defying, China's incredible Ice World will transform 37 acres of sub-tropical quarry into a sub-zero ski resort. The construction team will have to battle the worst nature can throw at them. But if they can pull it off they'll make science fiction a reality.
A Daring Design
Architect Gregg Pasquarelli and his team are eager to redefine the limits of skyscrapers — a design that will present unprecedented challenges to the building’s construction. In May 2015, led by Project Superintendent Anthony Vivelo, the construction team began digging out the foundation for the Skinny Skyscraper on Manhattan’s “Billionaire’s Row.”
A Damaging Leak
High stakes are riding on the team’s successful distribution of concrete on the skyscraper’s groundwork. As Project Superintendent Anthony Vivelo already knows, any leak in the pouring of the concrete could prove to be cataclysmic.
Luxury Living
With the building’s exterior making progress, the attention turns toward its interior design. Explore the work carried out by the sixty skilled craftsmen at P.E. Guerin who are tasked with making the Skinny Skyscraper’s interior a luxurious paradise.
Arrival of the Crane
Project Manager Pat Feehan and his team must work around the clock to assemble the newly arrived crane before the hectic Thanksgiving holiday. However, with only 24 hours remaining and limited street space available, the crane must be constructed from the ground up — a process that requires the most meticulous of calculations.
Episode 4 Preview | Skinny Skyscraper
Witness the construction of the skinniest skyscraper ever to make it off the drawing board. Located in New York and rising from within a landmarked building the team will attempt to build the world's thinnest skyscraper on the construction equivalent of a postage stamp.
Coral Garden
Marie Goarin talks us through the unique coral garden that is a feature of each Seahorse.
Electro-Reef
Incredible new technology is being launched to ensure healthy and fast-growing coral reefs.
Seahorse on the Water
After months of planning and testing, the Seahorse is transported to its permanent mooring site.
The First Test
It is now time to see, after all the designing and planning, if the Seahorse can float.
Acrylic Panels
We visit Clax Italia in Rome to see how the bespoke acrylic panels are made for the underwater bedroom on the Seahorse.
Episode 3 Preview | The Floating House
Follow the build to make living beneath the waves into a reality as a team in Dubai attempts to construct a floating house combining the best of land and marine design. Will they achieve the impossible?
Episode 2 Preview | Europe in the Desert
Can six sand islands, poking out of the Persian Gulf near Dubai, be transformed into the most luxurious holiday destination on earth? One man believes they can and he’s risking tens of millions of dollars to prove it.
Creating the Scorpion Tower’s Silky Aesthetic
The exoskeleton of Zaha Hadid’s Scorpion Tower, officially known as One Thousand Museum, is created using glass fiber reinforced concrete (GFRC). Typically used as a decorative covering, these GFRC panels are instead being used as formwork — a mold for the concrete — to help support the structure and to create the smooth, luxurious finish from Hadid’s design.
Buck Hoists Play an Essential Role in Building the Tower
To help transport construction materials and builders to different floors of the Scorpion Tower, the team uses two elevators attached to the building, known as buck hoists. Though the buck hoists are meant to ease the building process, the crew encounters a dilemma when they discover that the buck hoist tower has begun to lean away from the building.
Strengthening the Ground Using Vibro Compaction
Before construction can begin on the Heart of Europe resort, the sand must be compacted using “vibro compaction,” a method used to create a denser soil by moving the sand particles closer together. This helps strengthen the ground for the concrete foundations of the buildings planned for construction on each of the six islands.
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