KingBridge Tower and Jamuna Railway Bridge Receive 4th OCAJI Project Awards
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Sustainability
On January 27, the award ceremony for the "4th OCAJI Project Awards," hosted by the Overseas Construction Association of Japan, Inc. (OCAJI), was held. The Obayashi Group's projects, "KingBridge Tower" (Thailand) and "Jamuna Railway Bridge (Eastern Part of Civil Works Package WD-1)" (Bangladesh), received Project Awards. This year, 9 projects were selected from 17 entries, marking the Group's fourth consecutive year of receiving this award.
OCAJI supports overseas business development in the construction industry, promotes international contributions, and fosters international exchange and cooperation. Established in 2022, the OCAJI Project Awards recognize outstanding overseas construction projects to enhance the presence of Japan's construction industry abroad and to promote continuous and stable overseas activities. For the 4th edition, projects completed between January 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, were eligible.
KingBridge Tower Project (Thailand)
Developed by Thailand's leading corporate group, the Saha Group, this 255 m tall, 53-story high-rise office building stands along the Chao Phraya River. Its iconic exterior design, inspired by the silhouette of the Bhumibol Bridge's main tower, harmonizes with the surrounding area while establishing a landmark presence. The building has obtained international environmental certifications, including LEED and Fitwel (*1) 3-Star, balancing comfort with energy efficiency.
For the Sky Lounge—a large cantilevered structure located 151 m above ground, extending approximately 12 m outward from the 39th floor—the lift-up method was adopted, assembling the structure on the ground and hoisting it into position to ensure safety and precision. Modularization of MEP works standardized quality and shortened the schedule, enabling completion three months ahead of the contractual schedule, with no accidents throughout the construction period.
| Client | Saha Capital Tower Co., Ltd. |
|---|---|
| Design | Architectural: ARCHITECTS 49 LIMITED, Structural: ARCHITECTURAL ENGINEERING 49 LIMITED, Facility: M&E ENGINEERING 49 LIMITED, Exterior: TK STUDIO CO., LTD. |
| Construction | Thai Obayashi Corporation Limited (Obayashi Group) |
Jamuna Railway Bridge Project, Eastern Part of Civil Works: Package WD-1 (Bangladesh)
This national project constructed a dedicated railway bridge and new line section parallel to the existing combined railway/road bridge across Bangladesh's largest river, the Jamuna, to improve inter-city logistics efficiency. Obayashi was responsible for the 6.8 km East Work Zone.
Construction began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic; close remote communication with local staff minimized impacts, and subsequently numerous Japanese engineers were deployed to thoroughly instruct and manage local staff and subcontractors, introducing a high-quality infrastructure system and transferring technology. Despite major design changes and evolving social conditions, the project was completed within the contract period without any major accidents.
| Client | Bangladesh Railway, Ministry of Railways, People's Republic of Bangladesh |
|---|---|
| Design | Oriental Consultants Global Co., Ltd., CHODAI Co., Ltd., Development Design Consultants |
| Construction | Obayashi Corporation, TOA Corporation, JFE Engineering Corporation |
Obayashi will continue contributing to societies and people's lives worldwide by building diverse structures and social infrastructure, thereby strengthening the foundations of the construction industry through job creation and technology transfer.
- *1 Fitwel
An international certification evaluating a building's health and comfort. Operated by the U.S. Center for Active Design, with results rated on a three-tier scale from one to three stars.