Chinese Developer Builds 10-Storey Tower in 28 Hours

A 10-storey modular apartment block has taken shape in just over 24 hours in what the Chinese company claims is a world first.

Chinese company Broad Group released vision of the tower that was lifted into place and bolted together in 28 hours and 45 minutes, in what the company claims is the “shortest construction period” for a building of that scale.

Broad Group built the tower in its hometown of Changsha using the bolt-together modular units called the “Living Building” system, which the company manufactures, in addition to air conditioning and heating modules.

According to the company’s website the modular units are the same dimensions as a shipping container, so they can be easily shipped, and include wiring and ducting.

The Living Building system uses Broad’s “B-Core” steel slabs as the structural element, which the company claims are 10 times lighter and 100 times stronger than conventional alternatives and are a disaster-resilient building system.

Each module is 12.19m long, 2.44m wide and 3m high.

The modules were stacked with one wall of each unit folding down to become a floor plate and create a column-free space that is 12m long and 4.8m wide.

Windows and balconies fold out from the unit to enclose the spaces, a company spokesperson said.