The Peninsula Shanghai Decorates with Deckshield for VIP Visitors

The luxury Shanghai Peninsula hotel undertook a refurbishment program so that it could welcome world leaders to the city for the Shanghai APEC 2014 meeting in even more luxury, comfort and style than ever before.

A key part of this project was to revitalise the helipad and VIP parking area with new floor finishes that would enhance the arrival experience of high-profile visitors. To achieve this the renowned hotel partnered with Flowcrete Asia, who provided it with robust, colourful and long lasting surfaces for these priority areas.

Quality was a constant keyword throughout the refurbishment work, as during the Shanghai APEC 2014 meeting the Shanghai Peninsula would be playing host to the representatives from Russia, including the Russian premier.

To ensure that the final floor finish would meet the hotel’s exacting standards, 800m² of Deckshield ID and Deckshield UV was used to create the helipad’s new surface and a further 700m² of Deckshield ID was applied in the VIP parking area.

Deckshield ID was the ideal solution for the helipad, as it is able to fulfil the diverse functions that such a floor area requires. Aesthetics were obviously crucial during this project, as the helipad is the first thing that VIPs alighting from a helicopter see and therefore it has to be able to maintain a vibrant, clean and unblemished surface.

Visual appeal is even more important here than at most helipads as the Shanghai Peninsula often entertains with drinks on the platform and also uses it as place from which to take promotional photos that highlight the location’s amazing panoramic views.

Cracks or failures caused by inclement weather, contaminants or the movement of helicopters would compromise this image and be unacceptable for the hotel. Deckshield ID’s polyurethane formulation makes it incredibly robust and able to withstand heavy impacts, thermal shock, corrosive chemicals and fire.

The helipad floor’s functions don’t end at maintaining a visually appealing surface, as it also needs to incorporate clear and easily visible safety signage while also enhancing traction underfoot to avoid slips and trips in an area that is inherently open to the elements and where falls can prove extremely hazardous!

The Shanghai Peninsula, whose world class transportation choices includes a fleet of bespoke Rolls Royce phantoms, riverboats and a helicopter identified that its VIP parking bays were an important aspect of this infrastructure and that the aesthetic, functional, safety and longevity required on the helipad were likewise essential here. 

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 space. Deckshield helps to improve the overall environmental quality of a car parking facility by minimising tyre squeal and its environmentally friendly formulation helps developments to attain green building credentials.

The old helipad and car park base, which were in a poor condition, had to be removed and replaced before applying the Deckshield. The installation was carried out during October, which meant that the applicators had to overcome wet and windy conditions high up on the building’s exposed roof. 

Despite these challenges it was crucial that a high-quality finish was achieved without interrupting the hotel’s daily business, ensuring that the customer experience, operational activity and income were not adversely affected by the work.

Flowcrete Asia’s Marketing Manager, Littar Tan, said: “The Shanghai Peninsula hotel’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.

“It’s a proud thought to know that a Flowcrete Asia floor will be one of the first sights that many of The Shanghai Peninsula’s VIP guests will have of the hotel.”