Penetron Brings WaterWorld and Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness to Life at Universal Beijing Resort

Officially opened in September 2021, the Universal Beijing Resort, in the Tongzhou District of Beijing, is the world’s largest Universal Resort and Theme Park facility. PENETRON ADMIX, a crystalline admixture, was specified as the concrete waterproofing solution for the large waterways and pools of the WaterWorld and Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness theme parks.

Upon its opening, Universal Beijing Resort became the third Universal Studios theme park in Asia (following Osaka, Japan, and Singapore), and the fifth Universal Studios theme park in the world. The new ¥20 billion (US$3.15 billion) theme park in Beijing spans 120 hectares (296 acres) with numerous "Chinese elements" tailored for the domestic market. Over 10 million tourists a year are expected, with a peak of 15 million visitors per year.
 

Integrating Attractive Chinese Cultural Icons

“Compared to the Universal theme parks elsewhere in the world, the Universal Beijing Resort is larger and distinguished by numerous Chinese cultural features,” adds Jozef Van Beeck, Director of International Sales & Marketing for The Penetron Group.

The Universal Beijing Resort comprises seven theme parks, with more than 20 entertainment attractions, including: "Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness," "Transformers Metrobase," "Minion Land," “The Wizarding World of Harry Potter," "Jurassic World Isla Nublar," "Hollywood," and "WaterWorld." Thanks to the popularity of the Kung Fu Panda film franchise in China, the Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness attraction is now an independent theme park for the first time.
 

Presentation of the Penetron Solution

During the planning phase of the project, the Universal Parks & Resort engineers met with Penetron China to learn about Penetron-based solutions for concrete waterproofing and durability. The Penetron team introduced the range of Penetron products, their non-toxic certification (NSF-61-approved), and highlighted the many successful theme park projects around the world – along with similar projects in China over the past 20 years.

“The project engineers were convinced. PENETRON ADMIX was selected for the construction of the waterways and pools for both the WaterWorld and Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness theme parks,” says Jozef Van Beeck.

PENETRON ADMIX was added to the concrete mix at the concrete ready-mix plant. China Construction First Group Construction & Development, the general contractor for the two theme parks, used PENETRON ADMIX-treated concrete for the huge water pool and waterways alongside the pool’s edge of WaterWorld, and the large network of waterways in the Kung Fu Panda Land of Awesomeness.

“Because of the size of the main pool in WaterWorld, the concrete wall is constantly subjected to high hydrostatic pressure,” explains Jozef Van Beeck. “The numerous Chinese elements in the Kung Fu Panda theme park include mountains, rivers, bridges, and waterways constructed with concrete. “Because the concrete waterways were backfilled with soil, they had to be completely waterproof upon completion to avoid any future maintenance or repairs.”

The addition of PENETRON ADMIX was a complete success. The extensive water tests at both theme parks conducted after construction showed no leakage or water stains in the treated concrete structures.

“The project’s general contractor speaks highly of PENETRON ADMIX,” concludes Jozef Van Beeck. “Thanks to Penetron, construction of the concrete waterways and pools was completed on schedule and with flawless results.”