Serangoon Shopping Complex & Bus Interchange

When the architects were creating their design for Serangoon’s new mega mall and bus interchange they wanted to incorporate a “green necklace” along the exterior of the six-storey building as well as a roof garden, complete with a dog run. Due to Singapore’s particularly wet climate, with an average rainfall of 2,370 millimeters (93 inches) per year, builders and engineers faced the added difficulty of ensuring the entire concrete structure was adequately waterproofed.

The ready-mix supplier had dozens of concrete ready-mix trucks arriving at the site every day, contractors needed a waterproofing admixture that could be easily handled and quality controlled. Faulty waterproofing would lead to leaking and potential structural damage, resulting in difficult and expensive repairs in the coming years.  

Solution

To ensure long-lasting waterproofing, the developer chose Krystol Internal Membrane (KIM) concrete waterproofing admixture to be the main waterproofing solution for the project – ensuring continuous waterproofing over many years. A total of 10,500 cubic meters (13700 cubic yards) of concrete was waterproofed with KIM which was used in the base slabs and walls; and all parties involved were impressed with the results. Unlike external waterproofing membranes, the builders could be confident that internal waterproofing admixture would be a permanent solution.

It is estimated the project will cost the approximately $1.3 billion USD. Months before its anticipated completion in late 2010, the mall was already 90 per cent leased and is expected to attract traffic of two million people annually. With a long life-expectancy ensured by effective waterproofing, Serangoon’s new mall can expect many profitable years to come.