Buildings

We work across the full building lifecycle, from feasibility studies and concept planning through to detailed design, BIM documentation, construction surveillance and independent verification. Our structural engineers collaborate closely with architects and contractors to produce buildings that are fit for purpose, efficient to build and performant in use. We invest in ongoing research into construction methods and materials so our design advice keeps pace with how the industry is changing.

Our portfolio spans the full range of building typologies. We have delivered work for private developers, institutional owners and public sector clients, and we are comfortable moving between sectors as projects demand.

Residential developments, from single dwellings to medium-density housing

Health and aged care facilities

Commercial, retail and hospitality buildings

Civic buildings and education facilities

Justice, corrections and emergency services infrastructure

Earthquake engineering is a core strength given our New Zealand context. We assess the seismic performance of existing buildings, design strengthening interventions, and work with owners to prioritise upgrades that manage risk proportionately. Our structural team is experienced at retrofitting occupied buildings with minimal disruption to tenants and operations.

Within the buildings team we carry specialist knowledge across a wide range of sub-disciplines, so we can assemble the right mix for each project without relying on external consultants.

Commercial and industrial buildings

Education, health and aged care

Heritage buildings and adaptive reuse

Modular and prefabricated construction

Seismic assessments and strengthening

Geotechnical investigation and foundation design

Our buildings work runs from single dwellings to civic and health facilities, and a large share of it involves existing structures rather than new ones. We carried out the geotechnical investigation, ground modelling, foundation design and construction monitoring for the reinstatement of the Napier War Memorial on Marine Parade, and provided geotechnical input to the Gisborne District Courthouse expansion and Kawakawa Hospital in Northland.

Schools and community buildings make up much of the rest: Pillans Point Primary, Tolaga Bay Area School, TKKM o Ngati Kahungunu, Te Poho-o-Rāwiri Marae in Gisborne, and the Hundertwasser Toilets at Kawakawa, an iconic 1999 building that has suffered settlement since construction. On the commercial side we have supported retail and supermarket development at Pāpāmoa in the Bay of Plenty, and detailed seismic assessment and strengthening work in Whanganui and Palmerston North.

Napier War Memorial reinstatement, Marine Parade, Napier

Gisborne District Courthouse expansion

Kawakawa Hospital, Northland

Pillans Point Primary, Tolaga Bay Area School, TKKM o Ngati Kahungunu

Te Poho-o-Rāwiri Marae and the Hundertwasser Toilets, Kawakawa

Detailed seismic assessment and strengthening, Whanganui and Palmerston North

Geological modelling of the Christchurch CBD

Work on an existing building starts from a different place than a new one: the structure is already telling you something, and the job is to read it before designing anything. Settlement, alteration history and previous repairs all change what an intervention needs to achieve. On heritage and community buildings the constraint is usually that the fabric worth keeping is the fabric in the way, so we look for strengthening schemes that are reversible, concealed or staged around occupancy rather than the most efficient scheme on paper.