18 | Icon / Pro Invest Group: Voco & Holiday Inn Express Auckland Innovative methods behind tower build “Despite being hit with two lockdowns and offshore procurement challenges we still managed to finish on time for the client and to a high standard. It was a complex structure build with basically three footprints in one job.” DEVELOPMENT The new Pro-invest Voco Hotel and Holiday Inn Express in Auckland is a mixed-use podium and stacked hotel towers offering a total of 495 hotel rooms split between the two brands over 39 levels. Karen Phelps Innovative construction methods were used to deliver the new Pro-invest Voco Hotel and Holiday Inn Express in Auckland. Built by Icon and designed by SJB Architects and in collaboration with Ignite, the development at 58 Albert Street is unique in that it sees two hotel brands in one building – each with its own entrance and separate amenities. It is comprised of a mixed-use podium and stacked hotel towers offering a total of 495 hotel rooms split between the two brands over 39 levels. Icon Project Manager – Construction Paul Beukman says that speed of construction was assisted by utilising prefabricated, modular, and hybrid methods throughout design and construction including fully fitted and plumbed bathroom ‘pods’. “This concept is heavily used overseas but was new for New Zealand,” he says. “The pods are delivered to locations on each floor before the internal room walls are installed and slid into final position.” Utilising a jumpform system for the construction of the concrete core was another innovative building method to assist construction timelines. The jumpform system comprises of the formwork and working platforms for fixing of the formwork, steel fixing and concreting. The formwork supports itself on the concrete cast earlier so it does not rely on support or access from other parts of the building or permanent works. On this Pro-invest project a complete level was poured every ten days with the base build, floor forming and interior finishing all underway simultaneously on site. Construction took place from May 2019 to May 2022 despite lockdowns hampering the construction programme. “When you build high-rises you get into a construction rhythm with everyone working like clockwork in a well planned sequence. Covid-19 halted that rhythm and it was a challenge to restart and get back into the flow and pick up momentum again after a lockdown,” says Paul. Once again innovation helped keep the project on track. The tower crane was in the lift core to level 20 construction, when it was then Concretec are proud to support Icon Construction Suppliers of panels, beams, stairs, balconies, columns and other precast components P: 09 275 9906 E: sales@concretec.co.nz www.concretec.co.nz removed and put on the open space created by the building step back at that level. This allowed Icon to finish the lift early, which meant other tasks could be completed ahead of schedule including corridors and lift surrounds. He says offshore procurement and shipping delays were another challenge by pushing the design early resulted in longer lead-times. The unitised panel façade system was produced in China to help speed up construction, Icon and design team staff regularly visiting the manufacturing sites. Icon is one of Australia and New Zealand’s largest construction providers with over 80 current projects in New Zealand and throughout all states and regions of Australia, and has become recognised as New Zealand’s leading builder of large-scale CBD towers. “Despite being hit with two lockdowns and offshore procurement challenges we still managed to finish on time for the client and to a high standard. It was a complex structure build with basically three footprints in one job. “The Voco footprint also cantilevers out almost two metres over the Holiday Inn footprint so we were basically building two buildings on top of each other. “Real kudos to the whole team for what it’s achieved. It was a really great job and a testament to the skills of Pro-invest, Icon and the whole project team.”
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