Dubbed ‘The Rock’ because of its shape and exterior, the terminal was modelled on Wellington's rugged south coast.
Beca provided structural, civil and project management services, and acted as project engineer to the multi-disciplinary construction contracts required for the project. The unusual non-linear form of this complex steel and timber building stretched the ingenuity of Beca's structural team to the full.
The Rock was the first building in New Zealand that Beca modelled three-dimensionally using Revit software. This enabled the team to produce structural drawings from a 3D model. However, because of the irregular shape of the building, it was impossible at the design stage to foresee all of the clashes that could occur between the steelwork, timberwork and services. Close collaboration with the steel contractor, Stevensons, helped resolve this by allowing the detailed 3D model to be imported and merged with the drawings of the follow-on trades. Clash checks ensured that potential problems were identified and either rectified or eliminated even before fabrication.
In addition, the airside works presented the Beca team with the challenge of reconstructing almost all of the apron areas adjacent to the existing international terminal. These works included extensive modification of the hydrant refuelling system and hardstand areas, the installation of four new apron drive passenger boarding bridges and the refurbishment and reinstallation of three airbridges.
The complexity of the building also impacted construction planning, which was critical given that it was taking place within the context of a busy working airport. Safety considerations around airport staff, clients and construction workers were a high priority throughout the works.
The building works also included upgrades to the existing duty free, retail and secondary processing areas.