This past May, a delegation of BESIX executives and stakeholders had the opportunity to celebrate the very near completion of the Grand Egyptian Museum. Johan Beerlandt, Executive Vice-President of BESIX Group, and Osama Bishai, CEO of Orascom Construction, warmly reflected on their journey together - a tale of unity, dedication, and a deep respect for history. Entrusted by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, BESIX and Orascom Construction have poured heart and soul into this masterpiece. Soon, lovers of Egyptian history will step into this enchanting space, immersing themselves in the wonders of a timeless civilization. Dive into the magic-watch the video and experience the joy of that special evening.
A journey from 2012 to 2023
The BESIX and Orascom Construction joint venture started working on the project in 2012. Twelve years later, our teams in Cairo can proudly say they have not built just a structure of steel, glass, and stone but a monument to human ingenuity. Thanks to their expertise, their steadfast dedication, and their unwavering commitment, the Grand Egyptian Museum stands proudly in perfect alignment with the three Giza pyramids. Built on a dedicated land of 490,000 m², twice the surface of the Louvre, it is the world's largest museum dedicated to a single civilization and one of the largest constructions in Egypt since the pyramids.
A building of a rare complexity
This unique building features magnificent cantilevers and steel structures, up to 26-metre-high, called ‘stilettos’, clad in marble and which end on the floor in a single point, like inverted pyramids. Among other peculiarities, a huge folded-cover slab consisting of a 33,000 m² articulated structure covered by cascading unique-shaped panels, whose dimensions, complexity, and slopes required an extreme level of precision and utterly complex formwork. The volume of materials needed is overwhelming: more than 12,000 tonnes of structural steel, 230,000 m³ of concrete, and 200,000 m² of Egyptian marble or Iranian translucent onyx.
“As this highly complex project comes to an end, all BESIX colleagues who have been closely involved in the realisation of this breathtaking building can be proud of their contribution individually and as a team, together with our JV partner Orascom Construction”, says Christophe Ledur, BESIX Resident Manager - Egypt and GEM Project Director.
An outstanding team
This project stands out not only for the complexity of its construction and the incredible collection it will house but also for the incredible work of the men and women who carried it out. The GEM team has just passed the 118 million man-hours mark... and for the last 24 million, the team has not recorded a single LTI! A great achievement!
A world-class collection of Egyptian artifacts
The museum houses King Tutankhamun's tomb and more than 30,000 other rare archaeological finds from the Ancient Egypt period, some of which have never been shown to the public, among which the King’s renowned golden mask. It also houses the famous King Khufu (or Cheops) Solar Boat, considered the oldest intact wooden ship in the world. The 45-tonne boat, originally located in a specific museum was relocated to the Grand Egyptian Museum in 2021 during an extremely delicate transport operation orchestrated by BESIX and Orascom.
Also displayed in the museum is the 11-metre-high, 3,200-year-old statue of Ramesses II, often considered as the greatest pharaoh of all times having ruled for 66 years. It was already installed in the museum in January 2018, majestically watching over its construction. Because of its size, it was installed before the end of the structural works and the museum was partly built around it.
“This project, daunting in its scale and complexity, would not have been possible without our many colleagues. Their work is a testament to BESIX’s exceptional project management and engineering prowess, which made a strong mark on this project. I am extremely proud to say that BESIX has truly embodied these principles in bringing this dream to life”, concludes Christophe Ledur.
The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, along with the museum's dedicated operator, are putting the finishing touches on the Grand Egyptian Museum, installing the thousands of artifacts in their new location. The world eagerly anticipates its grand unveiling!