Meeting of Minds

WE HAVE all probably heard it before. Large developments that hit a plethora of problems, and marketing tongues that start waxing lyrical about the level of success achieved even when such results can be difficult to discern.

At Sylvia Park, Multiplex managing director Dan Ashby doesn't deny that at times the atmosphere became fraught. However, what differentiated this project, he explains, is that from the very beginning all the main players KIPT, Multiplex, Jasmax, NH Architecture and the Carson Group had put a team of people in place that was working with a "best for project" philosophy. It was this, and the level of pre-planning from the earliest stage, that enabled the project to hit every deadline, and achieve tangible success.

"From the beginning Sylvia Park was a tough and intensive project, with a very aggressive delivery programme," he says. "The success we've had is purely a reflection on planning and people. Every aspect, in every domain culturally, environmentally, logistically and commercially was complex and a potential stumbling block. Setting up the right people in an environment where they could focus their skills and energy on navigating through the issues, and structuring the commercial relationship in a manner that would allow the project to go forward, were the keys to success."

KIPT first approached Multiplex in early 2004. After a process of due diligence, the company was invited to join a consulting team that effectively became Team Sylvia Park, who worked together out of KIPT's headquarters in downtown Auckland.

"Work was completed in a collaborative, non-confrontational style, and solutions were also found on site. Rather than documenting long lists of what was wrong, we were putting our heads together and documenting solutions," says Ashby.

Multiplex's role fell across three areas for a total of around $230m. First up was the enabling works, a $35m contract for site preparation. Work began in October 2004, with the benefits of extensive pre-planning saving time even at this stage, says Ashby.

"The enabling works were begun while the majority of the plan was still being developed. However, during pre-planning we had determined the wetland heritage of the site, and that it was critical to establish access roads and building platforms in summer when the ground was in good condition."

Other Multiplex contracts include the $86m contract to build the now completed southern precinct, and the $110m contract for the ongoing northern precinct.

"To put everything in perspective," says Ashby, "Multiplex has contributed a project team on a scale that we haven't had before in New Zealand 64 management staff in total across the three contracts. A large CBD high-rise would generally require only 12-16. At its peak, half of Multiplex New Zealand was working on Sylvia Park," he says.

To help keep the project on schedule, Multiplex contributed a Design Management team that worked as an interface between the design consultants and the construction team.

"This team ensures that the consultants are moving down avenues that the budgets have allowed for. They interact with the consultants, provide feedback on budgets, hard-to-achieve detailing, potential supply line problems or any other possible impediments. This method of identifying issues in a collaborative way acts as an early warning system that allows us the time to find the best solution for the project."

Logistics, agree both Ashby and Paul Feltham, Multiplex's project manager, were a crucial factor in meeting the numerous, staged handover deadlines. With up to 350 people working on the southern precinct alone, multiple daily deliveries, and 50 separate tenant contractors working on fit-outs, organisation was always going to pose challenges.

"Despite the daily difficulties, we met every contractual milestone. One of the things I'm most happy with is the quality of work that was delivered the first time around," says Feltham.

"Little remedial work was required post finish, due in part to the number of checks that were carried out throughout, with sign-offs attained as we went through."

Challenges ranged from finding enough carparks for all the workers on site up towards 1000 when combining southern and northern precincts to co-ordinating the numerous daily deliveries so materials didn't obstruct working parties.

Meeting KIPT's commitment to environmentally friendly and commercially sensible development was another key factor for Multiplex. Recycling of materials was undertaken, with all the original concrete bases, paving and roading crushed on site and used as fill.

For further information, contact Multiplex, phone (09) 300 2000, or visit the website: www.multiplex.biz.

Story by: Trendsideas