Luxury hotel The Peninsula Shanghai partnered with Flowcrete Asia to create robust, colourful and long-lasting surfaces for their VIP areas. The hotel’s refurbishment program was initiated to provide even more luxury, comfort and style to world leaders visiting the city for the Shanghai APEC 2014 meeting.
Quality was a major expectation during the execution of the project since the hotel was hosting representatives from Russia led by the Russian Premier during the APEC meeting.
The refurbishment program also included revitalising the helipad and VIP parking area with new floor finishes that would enhance the arrival experience of the high-profile visitors. Flowcrete Asia, part of the international Flowcrete Group, supplied its Deckshield flooring systems for the project.
Floor finishes consisting of 800m² of Deckshield ID and Deckshield UV were used to create the helipad’s new surface. Deckshield ID was additionally applied on a 700m² area in the VIP parking zone.
Aesthetics was a big part of the decision to use Deckshield coatings on the helipad, as it is the first thing that VIPs see when they alight from a helicopter. Visual appeal is particularly important at The Peninsula Shanghai as the platform is used by the company to entertain clients as well as to take promotional photos that highlight the location’s amazing panoramic views. Surfaces should, therefore, be free of cracks or failures caused by exposure to inclement weather, contaminants or the movement of helicopters.
Deckshield ID’s polyurethane formulation increases robustness, making the floor sturdy and able to withstand heavy impact, thermal shock, corrosive chemicals, fire and all climatic conditions. The Deckshield system also addressed the functional requirements of the hotel’s helipad in terms of incorporating clear and easily visible safety signage, and also enhancing traction underfoot to avoid slips and trips in an area where falls can prove extremely hazardous.
The VIP parking bays at The Peninsula Shanghai also received the Deckshield treatment to meet similar requirements of aesthetics, functionality, safety and longevity.
Flowcrete Asia’s Deckshield ID system was applied in a dove grey colour across the bays, with bright white lines and striking yellow numbers to clearly mark out each parking space. Functionally, Deckshield helps to improve the overall environmental quality of a car parking facility by minimising tyre squeal and helping the development attain green building credentials through an eco-friendly formulation.
Prior to the Deckshield application, the existing base in the helipad and car park was removed and replaced. The installation was carried out in October, which meant that the applicators had to overcome wet and windy conditions high up on the building’s exposed roof.
Flowcrete was able to achieve a high-quality finish despite these challenges, and without interrupting The Peninsula Shanghai’s daily business, ensuring that the hotel’s customer experience, operational activity and income were not adversely affected by the flooring work.
According to Flowcrete Asia’s Marketing Manager, Littar Tan, The Peninsula Shanghai’s refurbishment exemplifies Deckshield’s ability to create a robust surface that will help the site to maintain a luxurious and inviting image despite difficult working conditions.
