Components: Car park roof strengthening
Aotea Square is both a public space and the roof of a major car park. In 2000, an architectural competition identified a redesign for the square; however implementation of the new concept was put on hold in 2004 when the city council found structural damage to the car park roof. With input from leading designers and engineering consultants, the council established a complete Aotea upgrade plan, which began with repairing and strengthening the roof of the car park.
Xigo directed all aspects of this project, from the initial investigations of car park roof loading capacity and seismic performance though to design, consultation, planning, procurement and implementation.
Initial advice was that the car park roof would require demolition. This would have caused massive disruption to Auckland’s theatre district, so our primary challenge was finding a design and engineering solution that avoided demolition and minimised impact on the adjacent entertainment venues and businesses. The nature, scale and location of the project also presented an on-going communication challenge; multiple stakeholders had to be consulted at every stage.
Throughout the initial procurement of technical consultants, Xigo’s project manager drove the search for an innovative design solution that would exceed the client’s expectations. Lateral thinking prevailed and an ideal solution was found. Not only did it avoid demolition, it also allowed the car park to continue operation during construction.
A collaborative approach through the construction phase ensured there was a high public awareness of construction activities and impacts. Work progressed in a structured manner, led by detailed advance planning and risk mitigation before implementation of each construction phase.
As well as achieving minimal impact on the theatrical and commercial activities in the Aotea Square area, this project was delivered well below budget and within the required timeframe.