Customer: Eke Panuku Contract: Design & construct Location: Auckland, New Zealand

Highlights: Shop drawings, fabrication, and installation of side mount balustrade Worked with BECA to adapt the design for constructability. Minimal tolerances left no room for error to achieve a flawless finish Custom access was achieved with a man cage off HIAB truck Health and safety record – no incidents in high profile, high traffic area

Eke Panuku awarded the contract to fabricate and install an additional 127m of balustrade and concrete remedial work along the eastern wharf of Ūrunga Plaza in the Auckland Viaduct thanks to our excellent track record. The client was impressed with our work on the Te Wānanga Downtown Public Space Balustrades and the work we did to minimise disruption while completing 63m of balustrades outside the Hyatt Hotel.

Access

The project was positioned in one of the busiest high-visibility areas downtown so the team knew that robust health and safety was crucial. Barriers and signage ensured the work area, and the public spaces were clearly demarcated so there were no accidental interactions between the work site activities and the people walking in the area.

Access to the face of the capping beam to install the balustrade was another key challenge the team overcame. By using a Hiab to suspend a man cage over the edge they were able to provide safe access to drill and mount the balustrade.

Stakeholder Engagement

Maintaining the public’s positive perception of the project was also key, so extra care was taken to liaise with hotel staff. The team installed signage to inform the general public and engaged with stakeholders including business owners and operators. The team provided regular project updates so they could let their guests, workers or customers know what to expect and how to access the area safely.

Adapting design

One of the key challenges of the project was working through the initial constructability issues. The team worked closely with the designer BECA to adapt the design, so a side mount option was used to ensure it satisfied the architectural requirements and was affordable to build.

Quality finish

The uniform installation and placement of the balustrade panels achieved the aesthetic effect the designers had envisioned. Thanks to the care and attention the team paid to the angles and the straightness of the uprights, which can be compromised by welding heat input and galvanising process, each panel fit together perfectly.

The team began work on the Ūrunga Plaza project in November 2021 and work was completed in October 2022.