Game On

Turning a former sports ground into a vibrant mixed-use development was the task that fell to builder Haydn & Rollett Construction.

The construction firm worked closely with both the developer and the architects on the project. Haydn & Rollett also organised subcontractors and assisted tenants in meeting their needs for fit-outs. As with any build, the major focus was to ensure the project came in on time and on budget, says the company's senior project manager, Brian Dippie.

In its time as a rugby league field, Carlaw Park was well known for flooding during heavy rains, a legacy of its not-so-distant past as an estuary. While flooding was a major inconvenience for the sports field, the water problems were a threat to the very viability of the new development. Haydn & Rollett's solution was to build huge, 2m-deep retention ponds underneath both the office and the hotel buildings.

During construction, workers uncovered evidence of a Chinese market garden that operated on the site in the mid-19th Century. To preserve the archeological artefacts, Haydn & Rollett weren't allowed to dig any further into the ground. Rather than driving pilings for the foundations, the eastern corner of the commercial building was suspended over the archeological site.

"When it came to the carpark, we were able to speed construction through an innovative building practice," Dippie says.

In essence, five-storey steel columns were stood full height, then crossbeams were added to each level.

A crane then placed precast concrete flooring on all five levels, ready for the poured concrete. The advantage of this method is that it allows workers to pour concrete on multiple levels they do not have to wait for one level to set before pouring the next.

"This time-saving technique meant the carpark opened three months ahead of schedule," says Dippie.

The carpark was ready long before the offices and hotel opened, but it did not stand empty in the meantime. Plenty of people who worked in the CBD, where parking is limited, were pleased to use the new facility.

For more information, contact Sam Bufton, Haydn & Rollett Construction, 1 Warehouse Way, Northcote, phone (09) 444 7379. Email: sbufton@hrl.co.nz, or visit the website: www.haydnrollett.co.nz.

Story by: Trendsideas