Global SAE-A Group
Raffles City
Singapore
I. M. Pei designed Raffles City, which includes Swissôtel The Stamford, listed in the Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest hotel upon its completion in 1986.
It’s a landmark project where Ssangyong E&C demonstrated its engineering capabilities on the global stage.
-
Location
Singapore
-
Completion
Date1986.06
-
Client
Raffles City Pte. Ltd. (Subsidiary of CapitaLand) / Design by I. M. Pei
-
Construction
Overview2 hotel towers (73 floors, 28 floors)
4 floors of Office space, 7-floor
Podium
2,065 guest rooms
(Swissotel The Stamford: 1,267 /
Fairmont Singapore: 798) -
Scale
3 Basements to 73 floors
386,213㎡
A Leap Toward a Global
Construction Leader
Advance
-
-
AdvanceA Leap Toward a Global Construction Leader
Completing the world’s tallest hotel and making its name known on the global stage.
-
World Class Proven in Numbers
-
Continuous Ready-Mix
Concrete Pouring
(World Record at the Time)
48hours
-
Main Tower Scale
(Guinness World
Records in 1986)
73floor 226m
-
Ready-Mix
Concrete Trucks
Deployed (6㎥)
1,830units
-
Construction Period
6years
-
Contract Value
USD 430 million dollars
-
Site Area(Integrated complex
including four towers,
a shopping mall, and a convention center)
37,800㎡
A Global Leap that Began Above the Skies of Singapore
Global Beginnings
In the early 1980s, Ssangyong E&C entered the overseas construction market through the Raffles City project designed by I. M. Pei. Completed under harsh tropical conditions with innovative methods such as 48-hour continuous concrete pouring, the project was recognized by Guinness World Records in 1986 as the world’s tallest hotel.
The project showcased Ssangyong E&C’s engineering excellence, elevated Korea’s construction profile globally, and paved the way for landmark projects in Singapore.
Operation: 2,000 Tons of Ice
Torrential Rain
Tropical Downpours Can’t Stop Excavation
The first project involved a 15m-deep excavation across 33,000㎡, a key step toward securing the main contract and entering the Southeast Asian market.
Despite 30°C heat and tropical rain, the team completed the year-long excavation through rigorous drainage and safety management, leading to the next underground structural works contract.
Battle Against the Torrential Rain
: 2,000 Tons of Ice
Concrete Quality Assurance, Thanks to 2,000 Tons of Ice
Singapore’s tropical heat risked improper curing and cracking. To ensure quality, Ssangyong E&C secured 2,000 tons of ice from local plants and added it to ready-mix tanks to lower the mixing temperature.
The concrete was transported at the proper temperature, enabling stable placement across the large foundation.
High-Strength Concrete and Innovative Methods Bring Major Advancements in High-Rise Construction
The use of premium 40MPa concrete, the highest strength achievable at the time, maximized structural safety and durability. Through technical collaboration with U.S.-based consultant J.A. Jones, world-class concrete technology was introduced and applied.
Pumping concrete vertically up to 250 meters set another world record at the time. This enabled rapid construction, with one floor completed every three to four days, and the method remains a core technology in high-rise construction today.
A total of 1,830 ready-mix truckloads(6㎥ each) were poured continuously over 48 hours, setting another world record. The 25,630 tons of concrete equaled six Olympic-size swimming pools, ensuring high-quality foundations.
A table-type formwork system was moved floor by floor, enabling construction of one level every three to four days. This allowed the 73-story tower’s structural frame to be completed three months ahead of schedule.
Ssangyong E&C's awards draw international acclaim
-
1987
Order of Industrial Service Merit “Silver Tower”—Contributions to national prestige and overseas construction orders
-
1987
BCA Construction Excellence Awards - Commercial Buildings (Award Winner)
-
1986
The Guinness World Records — World’s Tallest Hotel
-
1984
Achieving 1 Billion Dollars of Overseas Construction Projects
Refusal of unauthorized collection of email addresses