Work on BaselWorld’s Hall 1 is entering the final stages, as crews mount the façade and install its interior fittings.
The doors to the 141,000-m2 hall are scheduled to open on April 25, the start of BaselWorld 2013. Workers completed the 32-m high building’s shell three months ago. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the project is expected to cost 430 million CHF ($460 million Cdn).
Once completed, Hall 1 will cover a length of 420 m, with three exhibition storeys. Demolition of the old halls began at the close of BaselWorld 2012. A total of 3500 tons of steel girders, 45,000 m3 of concrete, and 5200 tons of reinforcing steel have been used to construct the new hall, with up to eight fixed construction cranes in place at times.
Workers will start assembling exhibitor stands in February.
“The immense dimensions of the halls and the new stands will provide a splendid setting for the presentation of product innovations,” said the show’s organizer in a news release. “This will further underline the uniqueness of the World Watch and Jewellery Show and its significance as the most important industry event.”
