| In the mid-1990s, the government of Hong Kong found itself in the midst of a developing economic crisis: Kai Tak – the city's tiny and outdated airport – was quickly being overrun by international air traffic and cargo shipments – the economic lifeblood of the island territory. Nestled in the middle of downtown and with no room to grow, Kai Tak was becoming a liability. So the Hong Kong government undertook the largest civil engineering project in history: building a new international airport – 16 miles out to sea! Follow architects and engineers as they reveal – through archival footage, building schematics and first-hand testimony – how they were able to complete this amazing project. Planners selected a site off the coast of a rocky island, and construction crews built a gigantic platform by leveling two small islands and reclaiming the rest from the ocean floor. Workers built a huge terminal on top of the new island – still the largest enclosed space in the world. To reach the new airport, a completely new transportation infrastructure was built, including a series of world-class highways, bridges, tunnels and railways. And everything was completed in record time, as engineers raced against a formidable deadline – Britain's return of Hong Kong to the Chinese. Finished on schedule and under budget, the project is a testament to the spirit of Hong Kong and a prime example of extreme engineering. |
