Raised expectations

In a variable economic environment, it can be difficult to read the construction market from one week to the next. A strong, bold initiative stimulates confidence and provides much-needed jobs. Property Council New Zealand (PCNZ) acts as a valuable industry conduit, connecting and promoting all corners of the industry.

With a change of government and uncertain economic times, there is a need to be different, to be daring innovation being the lifeblood that will continue to ensure the industry's survival. An organisation like Property Council New Zealand is an essential ingredient, playing a role of membership enrichment and promotion. Investment in New Zealand is essential for strong economic growth, and PCNZ sees itself fostering this in the weeks and months ahead.

Chief executive of PCNZ Connal Townsend says a strong commercial property sector equates to a strong economic sector.

"We are keen to promote our members and their good deeds to the world," says Townsend. "Providing opportunity for members to showcase their talents and encouraging investment is what PCNZ intends to do, with the continued partnership with Trends Publishing International. One example is our profiling of dynamic projects like the one seen on these and the following pages."

The Yellow Treehouse Restaurant, driven by a team including key Property Council New Zealand members Homes Consulting Group, The Building Intelligence Group and NZ Strong, is an example of what can be done when various building experts collaborate readily, speedily and effectively.

"The Property Council represents all forms of commercial property and property investment in New Zealand including celebrating such off-the-wall projects as the Yellow Treehouse," says Townsend. "PCNZ is all about growing New Zealand's property investment actively involving itself with central, local and other government-associated bodies to help create a vibrant commercial property market and supporting such far-sighted projects as the design and tricky construction of the Yellow Treehouse Restaurant."

For details on Property Council New Zealand, phone (09) 373 3086. Website: www.propertynz.co.nz.

"A real restaurant 10m up a real tree; with Yellow¢ anything's possible!" So ran the campaign promoting Yellow's usability through the creation of one of New Zealand's most unusual and swiftly built restaurants.

The construction industry met the advertising industry head on in the challenging design and construction of the Yellow Treehouse Restaurant, a major part of Yellow's campaign to reposition its branding. The creative, tree-hugging design was resolved in two weeks and peer-reviewed over a weekend, with consent gained only seven days later. Eight weeks on and the Yellow Treehouse Restaurant was competing with birds for air space giving all-new meaning to the idea of fast-tracking.

Holmes Consulting Group, the engineers for the Treehouse, collaborated closely with Pacific Environments Architects on the design and detailing to achieve this remarkable feat of design and rapid build.

"This is just our kind of project," says Chris Mackenzie, Director of Holmes Consulting. "Our team jumped at the opportunity to be a key part of this project that had unusual and cool written all over it from the start."

The Holmes Consulting team was in the thick of the project from the beginning, assisting with all aspects of the challenge of building up a tree. Creative director John Worth resolved the details of the highly unusual design, and had numerous Yellow contacts in the local area who all came to the party.

"It is the kind of project that you're either into or you're not and we were certainly into it in a big way," says Worth.

The 30m² restaurant platform is suspended 10m in the air and supported on a single central 40m-high California redwood tree. Access is via a 50m-long suspended walkway winding through the trees.

Among the unusual risks on this project was the unknown condition of the main tree's root system. Holmes Solutions from Christchurch brought their specialist testing equipment along to verify the suitability.

"There was a lot riding on the health of this particular tree; it was after all the star of this advertising campaign and the key structural support for our endeavour," says Mackenzie.

Holmes Fire & Safety provided the fire engineering solutions for the Yellow Treehouse project.

For details, contact Holmes Consulting, Level 1, 39 Market Place, Viaduct Basin, Auckland 1142, phone (09) 965 4789, fax (09) 965 4780. Email: auckland@holmesgroup.com, or visit the website: www.holmesgroup.com.

Story by: Trendsideas