22nd May 2020
The end of this week saw level 1 poured, the ground floor drainage approved, the ground floor being backfilled and compacted, and scaffolding start to go up on the North Eastern side of the building!
July 2021 - Structure takes shape!
The last level 3 slab pour area, pre-pour!
Monark from a distance! The tower crane is holding up a panel up whilst the props are connected to take over and hold it up.
LIVE PROJECTS
Armstrong's Wellington
The latest Aoraki project to get underway is an Archaus designed upgrade of the facilities at Armstrong's in Wellington.
Split into two parts; the first revolves around removing the existing workshop on Barker St and replacing it with a modern highly spec'd version, the second is an extension and alterations to the Porshe building on Cambridge Terrace.
The workshop presents some interesting construction challenges, such as the excavation and installation of car service pits in contaminated ground and below the in-ground water level, and the underpinning of the adjacent building's structure while we install the new foundation for it. All the while making sure that the Armstrong's showrooms can carry on business as usual!
Wadestown School
Aoraki are delighted to be giving Wadestown School's Rose Street site a teaching space updgrade and roof replacement.
One of the four blocks at the site, Block C, is to be brought up to date with the Ministry of Education's Designing Quality Learning Spaces (DQLS) standards. This will include a structural review of the building and consequent addition of wall bracing as required, installing acoustic wall linings and ceiling treatments, new floor coverings, augmenting existing insulation in the building, improving lighting and ensuring effective cross ventilation can be achieved via fully functional opening windows. Electrical outlets will be reviewed, and joinery fittings will be installed in order to create wet areas and storage. The clear lite roofing over the teaching spaces in this block will also be replaced, and the existing roofing over the staffroom will be remediated.
Kicking off at the beginning of April 2023, we are ready to get stuck in during the School holidays so we are in a good position to work alongside the school community with minimal disruption as they return to their learning for the remainder of the school year!
126 Lambton Quay
126 Lambton Quay is the site of historic Massey House, an early an influential example of International Modernism designed by Ernst Plischke and Cedric Firth and originally completed in 1957.
The building is now about to take on a new lease on life, thanks to The Wellington Company and award winning architect Stuart Gardyne from Architecture+. The project will involve earthquake strengthening, restoration, and redevelopment to create 7,077m2 of premium commercial office and retail space set over 9 floors, topped off with 150m2 of green roof deck overlooking Lambton Quay.
ARO LIVING
The exciting Aro Living project consists of 61 terraced townhouses and a 4-storey apartment block, separated by well-designed pedestrian laneways throughout.
Constructed from pre-cast concrete panels, steel frames, and a combination of timber and metal cladding, these townhouses are designed with courtyards and balconies, premium kitchens and spacious living areas, and will be an impressive addition to the heart of Te Aro.
We are thrilled to be working with The Wellington Company, Egmont Dixon, Architecture+, and New Zealand Consulting Engineers to deliver this fantastic new development.
More information on the Aro Living project is available here.
COMPLETED PROJECTS
Sojourn at 75 Ghuznee St
Sojourn at 75 Ghuznee Street is an existing 9-storey reinforced concrete building built in the 1970s and located in the heart of Wellington’s Cuba precinct. The developer, Mike Price, followed up his eye-catching Sojourn Apartment Hotel on Riddiford St in Newtown with the fitout of these previous office spaces into 77 well appointed short stay apartments.
Led by T G Dykes and Associates, the design consists of fully tiled bathrooms in each apartment, full width windows in each room to allow for plenty of natural light and well designed acoustic and HVAC systems to create a comfortable environment for guests. New aluminium double glazed windows will be installed throughout the façade of the building with a new Quick Batten Tray 450 cladding system installed to replace the old corrugated metal cladding.
Aoraki Construction are proud to have been part of this exciting project giving a new lease of life to another of Wellington’s unique buildings.
EDUCATION HOUSE
Education House is a retrofit of an existing 13-storey building, converting it from office space into apartment living. It is a joint venture between The Wellington Company and the Wellington City Council, with the council taking a long-term lease on the building to manage the new complex as part of the Te Kainga Programme. The aim of the programme is to provide secure, affordable, long-term rental accommodation for lower to medium income individuals/families employed in essential public sector service roles. This project will help to alleviate some of the pressure on inner-city living and provide 110 additional apartments - predominantly two bedrooms each - right in the heart of town within easy walking distance of the CBD and many of Wellington's best eateries.
HAUWAI APARTMENTS
Have a look at what's happening on site!
Click here for Hauwai Owners Manual
The Aoraki team got involved with what was originally called the Monark project near the end of 2019 and thenceforth worked closely with the developer and design team to resolve a number of logistical issues to get the project underway. The construction contract was awarded in June 2020 and the Aoraki team are delighted to be working again with Egmont Dixon, The Wellington Company and lead consultants Design Group Stapleton Elliot (DGSE). The site to found the building will be subject to some robust ground work including new in-ground services infrastructure to King Street and Adelaide Road, and circa 160 new 12-15m deep concrete piles to be constructed by Brian Perry Civil. The structure, designed by engineers Silvester Clark, is a clever one – built from a hybrid precast panel and in-situ concrete solution. The precast panels will be manufactured
in Whanganui by Emmetts Civil Construction Ltd, who are known for their high quality concrete work. The Aoraki team completed the insitu concrete on site, including the floor slabs which are supported on a precast ‘rib & infill’ system supplied by Ultimate Engineered Concrete in Taranaki. The resulting structure provides solid concrete inter-tenancy walls between the apartments, a number of which are exposed on the interior.
With the concrete structure forming the interior walls of the building, the exterior façade is built up in high quality aluminium framed double glazed units and deck balconies. Each apartment is fitted with tempered fresh air and extract systems to comply with inner-city ventilation requirements. Internally the apartments are well appointed with quality fittings and finishes. We are extremely proud to be involved in this project with an experienced developer who has already contributed greatly to Wellington’s vibrant inner city, along with the highly experienced design team.
In Dec 2022 the Taranaki Whanui blessed the building and gifted a new name - going from the Monark Apartments to the Hauwai Apartments. Click here to read more about the meaning behind the name.
SUNSET WEST APARTMENTS
Check our site updates to see how we're progressing!
Near the heart of Wellington's vibrant Cuba Quarter, Sunset West Apartments comprises 64 well-appointed and highly specified apartments.
Commenced on site in October 2019 and completed in August 2021, this was Aoraki's flagship project in partnership with Nightingale Residential. The structure, designed by New Zealand Consulting Engineers (NZECL) is an innovative pad and ground beam foundation with fully structural steel and metal deck composite suspended concrete floor slabs, providing a resilient structure to house the apartments. The sleek architecture has been designed by Design Group Stapleton Elliot's Wellington office (DGSE) with Nigel Dong and Chris Gilby leading the charge. The apartments all have external balconies and clever in-built joinery.
his team at Vertbuild Ltd. Following enabling works to clear the hilly site, the Treehouse timber support poles were set out and drilled. From here, the timber floors support a simple timber-framed residential structure and simple yet sleek interiors with beautiful joinery and views to the West over Island Bay.
The Treehouses were completed in early 2020.
ERSKINE TREEHOUSES
Aoraki was engaged by The Wellington Company as Main Contractor for 9 of the Erskine development units - the E-units, aka the Treehouses.
The elegantly designed Treehouses almost float on top of the landscape, offering peace, privacy and connection with the land. The Aoraki team commenced in 2018, in partnership with Chris Theodorou and