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Customer: Whangarei District Council Contract type: Early Contractor Involvement Location: Whangarei, New Zealand   |
Fast Facts
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Our customer, the Whangarei District Council, envisioned a striking 265 metre long bascule bridge crossing the Hatea River - one that would embody the unique cultural heritage of the region. Together, we brought this vision to life.
Collaborating with UK-based Knight Architects, we crafted a design inspired by the traditional Māori fish hook, hei matau, symbolizing strength, good luck, and safe passage over water. The bridge’s form serves its function: the “hook” (J-beams) cantilevers and rolls back to lift the deck, allowing marine traffic to pass.
Architectural bridges like the Lower Hatea River Crossing are rare, and realising the clean, sharp lines of Knight Architects’ design required exceptional precision. Meeting the additional challenge of keeping the navigational channel open during construction added to the complexity.
The Lower Hatea is a single-leaf, counterweighted rolling bascule bridge. It opens hydraulically from one side using powerful rams and counterweights, which reduce the energy needed to lift the deck. With its distinctive design, this bridge is one of only a few of its kind worldwide.
Months of modeling and planning went into developing the bascule section, determining the optimal number, configuration, and location of hydraulic rams, as well as the precise counterweight requirements for the J-beams. Ultimately, the bridge operates using two 8 tonne hydraulic rams - among the largest in the world.
Construction involved building the bridge from both riverbanks, with the 390 tonne bascule section assembled on one side and launched across the 25 m gap - a remarkable engineering feat.
This project united an international team of bridge experts and close collaboration with our customer to overcome engineering challenges. The result is a landmark structure that reflects Whangarei’s heritage and serves its community with pride.
Awards
NEW ZEALAND
2015 IPWEA Public Works Medal for Public Works Project of the Year
2014 NZ Engineering Excellence Awards - Supreme Award Winner
2014 Civic Trust Awards - Winner
2014 CCNZ - Construction Excellence Award - Winner, Category 3 Projects with a value between $5 million and $30 million
2014 NZ Commercial Project Awards - Supreme Award Winner (Transfield Services & McConnell Dowell JV)
2014 NZ Commercial Project Awards - Gold Award Winner (Transfield Services & McConnell Dowell JV)
2013 NZ Concrete Society - Infrastructure Award Commendation (Transfield Services & McConnell Dowell JV)
2013 Roading Excellence Awards
- Z Energy Excellence Award for a Major Road Project
- Highly Commended in recognition of the planning design and construction (Transfield Services, McConnell Dowell, Whangarei District Council and Peters & Cheung
INTERNATIONAL
2014 Architizer A+ Award (Architecture+Engineering)
2014 United Kingdom Civic Trust Award
