Volume 21 | Issue 1 | March 2022 www.waterfordpress.co.nz businessnorth Cracking on Global chicken supplier Cobb Vantress has helped to transform work opportunities for locals in the Waikato region. T Page 18 Visionary space The Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangārei is testament to the artist’s vision. T Page 10 Forestry leader Over the last 50 years PF Olsen Ltd has embraced all things forestry throughout New Zealand. T Page 46
2 | Contents businessnorth 10| Visionary space The Hundertwasser Art Centre in Whangārei is testament to the artist’s vision. 46| Forestry leader Over the last 50 years PF Olsen Ltd has embraced all things forestry throughout New Zealand. 84| Fresh approach Auckland-based company Fitout Solutions is bringing fresh thinking to its approach to fit-out construction. 46 84 10 These conditions are prescribed for the sake of understanding between the Company and its clients. Advertising is charged for on the basis of space taken up using a standard tabloid page. Actual space may be reduced during the printing process but this will effect all advertisers equally so no credit will be given for any reduction in size due to processing. The Company reserves the right to alter, change or omit entirely any advertisement or article that it considers to be objectionable or which may contravene any law. 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| 3 A modern twist to ancient remedies Virginia Wright The Kiwiso outlet in Xiaman - Alpha Group has been one of New Zealand’s biggest investors in China over the last two decades. BUSINESS NZ China Business Awards - Alpha Group Holdings It was well over 20 years ago that Professor Gao, renowned in China as an expert in mushrooms and fungi, first came to New Zealand. He was invited by NZ Landcare Research to come and collaborate on their research into what we could do around the cultivation of mushrooms and fungi here in New Zealand. “At the time he had been working on his own method of extracting the goodness, the polysaccharides, from mushrooms,” explains Alpha Group NZ general manager, Maggie Chen. “In particular he was really focused on a mushroom named lingzhi, which is one of the hero ingredients in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), “ says Maggie. “It’s been used for thousands of years for a variety of ailments. Anything from stress management, gut management, sleep disorders – just a whole host of different things.” Professor Gao recognized the need, and with it the opportunity, of bringing a modern approach to this ancient remedy. He wanted to get the active ingredient from the lingzhi mushroom into measurable powdered doses in a capsule format ready for a specific daily intake. This became the basis of the business he set up called Alpha Group Holdings Ltd. “He wasn’t really intending even to set up a business, he just really wanted to help people to get better health, and the business followed,” says Maggie. Alpha Group is based in New Zealand but over the last 20 years it has been one of New Zealand’s biggest investors in China. What began as a small shop set up in 1998 in Dominion Road in Auckland, where he could make the first of his capsules available to consumers, is now a vertically integrated business with infrastructure in three Chinese centres. Professor Gao is a New Zealand citizen and it’s still a New Zealand company but not surprisingly its China operation has long since outgrown that in New Zealand with more than ten times as many people working there as work here. What makes Alpha Group unique is the extent to which the business is also established in China. “It’s a fully vertical business, so we have everything from research through to finished products and selling to the consumer,” says Maggie. “We import some of the products from New Zealand and also produce some in China.” A key to Alpha Group Holdings success is the direct-to-consumer business set up in China well before the current proliferation of e-commerce platforms. “Alpha Group actually has a license in China to have this direct-to-consumer business 03 548 2741 info@forestherbs.co.nz www.kolorex.com 142 Collingwood Street, Nelson 7010 Bringing you the power of Horopito. Supporting Alpha Group Holdings “It’s a fully vertical business, so we have everything from research through to finished products and selling to the consumer.” which is very hard to get. Alpha is one of 90 companies to have a license in China, and the only one of the 32 international companies among those 90 to come from New Zealand.” Professor Gao remains very committed to New Zealand. A new Alpha Group plant is under construction in Wiri where they will be able to reproduce and extract the active ingredient from the root of the lingzhi mushroom in a controlled environment. It’s an extremely efficient way to produce one of the very “high-value” products for the export market, in this instance the health supplement market, that New Zealand needs. Through the direct-to-consumer business Alpha Group has a database of more than a million people. Wanting to do more for the New Zealand market they have recently launched the “Kiwiso” brand goods, developed with research organisations and suppliers in NZ, offering everything from skincare to baby products to a range of eco-friendly household cleaning products. Recently also they’ve realised they want to build their profile in New Zealand up and being a finalist in the Yili Group Award for Innovation in Business between China and New Zealand in the 2021 China Business Awards is a good start. Thanks to Covid they won’t know whether they’ve won until the awards can finally be held, hopefully, in April but, in the meantime, they’re delighted to be recognised for the time, effort and expertise they put into the collaboration and co-operation between the two countries. so smooth...
4 | BUSINESS NZ China Business Awards - Comvita In harmony with Chinese markets T T Virginia Wright While the philosophy and values that underpin Comvita may have been articulated more fully in the last couple of years, they have been part of its DNA since the company began in 1974. “Comvita’s purpose is to work in harmony with bees and nature in New Zealand to heal and protect the world,” says Chief Purpose and Transformation Officer Holly Brown. Part of the leadership team Holly has been with Comvita for two and a half years and is responsible for HR, safety and well-being, sustainability and transformation. She works closely with Andy Chen, Regional CEO of Asia who has been with Comvita since June 2020. “We focus on the alignment between Comvita’s individual markets with its purpose, including how that manifests internally, and how it impacts on the outside world.” As well as setting clear targets for sustainability, including the ambitious target of being carbon neutral by 2025 and carbon positive by 2030; ; there is an undertaking to invest in community partnerships and initiatives to improve global communities. It’s the strength the business has shown in China, however, particularly through Covid and the challenges it brought in its wake, that has propelled Comvita into the finals of the 2021 China Business Awards. Where other companies have perhaps struggled, Comvita by any measure has leapt ahead. Andy sums it up well. “In Comvita we refer to a quote from the famous Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, where ‘new beginnings are often disguised as painful endings’”. Andy says when the pressure came on with the global pandemic, Comvita had to make some bold choices in terms of its China strategy. “I saw it as an opportunity to double-down on our primacy of market approach, which means going deeper locally in terms of consumer intimacy and understanding and empowering our team on the ground to lead from this perspective,” Andy says. Unlike its competitors, Comvita’s business model in China is unique in that it’s a fully integrated supply chain, starting with land ownership and Mānuka forestation, and reaching deep into the China market through a talented team of more than 200 local employees spread across multiple cities. “Rather than stepping back, we invested more in our capability, and a localised expression of our premium lifestyle brand. We also saw this as an opportunity to embrace our digital transformation strategy. We’re much more sophisticated and connected to consumer needs as a result.” This is clearly backed up by the data, as Comvita achieved record-breaking results during key selling festivals in China throughout the year. www.pharmapac.co.nz Pharmapac are proudly Toitū Enviromark Diamond Certified Please call us on 09 444 9631 to discuss your projects specific packaging requirements. Email: info@pharmapac.co.nz “China is the largest honey market in the world, and we see there is a lot of potential for even more exciting growth ahead.” It held the number one position for all Honey Sales on the Chinese global platforms T-Mall and Jing Dong, and were sixth overall in the much broader Healthy Foods category (and the only international brand to make the Top Ten). The awards ceremony has been pushed back to April, Covid permitting, but whether they win an award or not won’t change the growing strength of Comvita’s business in China. “It’s so encouraging to have delivered double digit growth year on year through Covid,” says Andy. “China is the largest honey market in the world, and we see there is a lot of potential for even more exciting growth ahead.” Andy Chen: “It’s so encouraging to have delivered double digit growth year on year through Covid.”
| 5 BUSINESS NZ China Business Awards - Comvita 6 P 03 548-5875 • 13 Bolt Road, Tahunanui, Nelson E inquiries@alaron.co.nz W www.alaron.co.nz Let’s start a new project together Proud winners of the Natural Health Products Supplier of the Year for 2018, 2019 and 2021. Harnessing nature to create world-class health products We are one of the largest GMP pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in New Zealand and have been at the forefront of the industry for over 25 years. Our team of experts can recommend the latest innovative materials and manufacturing technologies, making your product development process as efficient as possible. Our convenient location in Nelson, New Zealand gives you access to both domestic and international freight options to get your product to your target markets. Alaron is proudly locally owned and operated in Nelson, New Zealand. Since 1993 we have worked together with our clients to develop a multitude of high-quality natural health products and grow our clients’ businesses alongside our own. We are proud to be your dedicated manufacturing partner. For us, your success is our success. Comvita achieved record-breaking results during key selling festivals in China throughout the year.
6 | BUSINESS Sustainable Business Network Awards - Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Extensive garden showcase for tribe Virginia Wright The landscaping team poses for a photo on Quay Street. Drive along Kepa Rd in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and you’ll see what hard work with a vision can achieve on a piece of land that only three years ago was grazing ponies. The recent addition of this 33-hectare block, Pourewa, combines it with two others: Okahu Bay and the Whenua Rangatira block, which backs onto the Mārae and the Michael Joseph Savage Reserve, which makes a total of 90 hectares of land under the management of local iwi Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Pou Whenua is responsible for managing the 90 hectares with two operational staff, Wyatt Dooley, and Dane Tumahai, who is himself of Ngāti Whātua heritage. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei was a finalist in the 2021 Sustainable Business Awards which is not surprising once you grasp the depth and breadth of what they’re doing. Eco-maintenance is one of the words used to describe the kaupapa that underpins everything they do on the whenua; and in the first instance, at Pourewa, this means nurturing the extensive market garden (māra kai) they’ve established on the former pony club land, along with a native plant nursery and, in the pipeline, a māra rongoā (native medicinal garden). They’ve invested in an automatic composting system through Global Composting Solutions to turn their waste into compost which they then use to nourish the garden. “We’re kaitiaki for the whenua,” says Dane. “We’re building sustainability projects through our mātāpono (values). We don’t use chemicals or sprays, and we only take in seeds of Tāmaki provenance. “From a Māori world perspective it’s not just about the tangible stuff on the land, we’re growing our people. We employ over 30 of our people from our local tribe so we’re nurturing the whenua, we’re nurturing trees, we’re nurturing food and we’re nurturing leaders.” Across Aotearoa New Zealand there are different ecological districts otherwise known as seed provenances. “Those areas were divided by ecologists where seeds might disperse naturally in the wild, via wind or birds for example,” explains Wyatt. “So our area is known as the Tāmaki ecological district which amounts to approximately the boundaries of central Auckland.” Pohutukawa from Gisborne for example will have different genetics to those from Auckland even though they’re from the same species, so if Pourewa is looking for plants for their restoration project they source them accordingly. 027 531 3377 info@gelectrical.co.nz www.gelectrical.co.nz FOR ALL YOUR ELECTRICAL NEEDS • 0800 GE POWER Guaranteed Electrical are proud to support Ngati Whatua Orakei The food in the māra kai is grown according to the maramataka explains Dane. “Those types of historical practices that our tupuna used to do, and when we were in lockdown and our elders couldn’t go to the supermarket we were part of the response to that problem: growing nutritious food that doesn’t have chemicals which we could harvest and provide to our elders so they could continue with their health and well-being.” The land provides a living laboratory, and a fertile home for innovation, for crops such as mushrooms. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei partner with Manaaki Whenua on a project using an invasive weed called privet as the substrate, on which they inoculate edible mushrooms such as pekepekekiore and NZ shitake. “Conventionally privet would be cut and killed with glyphosphate or Round-up,” says Wyatt. “but we have to think of other creative ways to tackle this without chemicals so we decided to turn that privet into a resource and grow mushrooms in it.” While the land is Māori owned Dane is very clear that one of their focuses is community involvement regardless of one’s ethnic origins. “We have external stake-holders from schools to retirement villages, corporates, and NGO’s who love to come and see what we’re doing and be able to participate.” They actively look for school involvement and last year when Ngāti Whātua partnered with the Enviroschools and Council on the moth plant project it provided an opportunity. “Moth plant is another invasive weed,” explains Wyatt. “We worked with Enviroschools to raise awareness and also over the autumn school holidays for kids to collect moth plants and pods throughout their neighbourhoods. We created a competition with prizes and native plant giveaways. That initiative was for all the schools in the Ōrākei local board area with lots of students involved, and I think the number one group collected something like 1,500 moth plant pods and plants.” Dane thinks their nomination for the Sustainable Business Network Award came about from people seeing the significant changes in land usage at Pourewa over a relatively short period of time, in part made possible by their engagement with external stakeholders. “We’re getting enquiries all the time from people and groups who want to come and do a give-back day or just volunteer their time and expertise. We’re proud to be working here but we’re always open to other people’s knowledge, and we always want to bring people together.” As Wyatt explains, “one of the values is manaakitanga (to care for,nourish) and that’s something that Ngāti Whātua continuously shows. For example, Pourewa is 33 hectares that was previously a pony club and nobody had access to it except for a couple of dozen lucky people whereas now it’s a public reserve where anybody can come and enjoy it.”
| 7 BUSINESS Sustainable Business Network Awards - Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei was a finalist in the 2021 Sustainable Business Awards. Above, kumara planting, left, and honey harvesting. Global Composting Solutions is based in Christchurch and as their name suggests they provide sustainable, automated, aerobic composting solutions to companies around the world. The HotRot™ vessels central to the company were initially designed and commercialized by a JV group and Mace engineering for the New Zealand Wool Board as an environmentally friendly solution to their waste products about 15 years ago. Today Global Composting Solutions o er a turn-key solution to di icult organic waste streams. They work with clients to identify their needs; then design, build and install the system ready to be monitored electronically. They provide an integrated solution which takes organic waste at one end, and in two weeks turns it into safe, high-quality compost ready for immediate handling and use. Their smallest vessel called COMET was created in response to client needs and can handle up to 50 kgs a day. It’s put to good use for example at Pourewa in Auckland where the compost it creates goes back onto the gardens. “With the iwi it’s regenerating their soil for the next lot of crops,” explains Andrew Green, company MD. “It’s still in pilot stage, but the longer-term goal is to eventually upsize and put in a bigger vessel to increase the diversion from land ile to create a valuable end product. Once proven, the idea of then putting a bigger vessel into more of their maraes is a great sustainable option.” This relatively small, compact, rectangular Comet vessel is ideal for places like university cafeterias, or schools, because the enclosed composting vessel eliminates any of the odour which compost typically creates. It’s the most recent iteration of the HotRot vessels with the bigger 1206 (1.2m diameter x 6m long) handling up to 500kgs a day, and the 1811 (1.8 diameter x 11m long) handling up to 2,500kgs a day and the largest vessel the 3518 ( 3.5m x 18m long) handling 10,000 KG per day, all of which are already in use around the world. “Melbourne Zoo has an 1811 which handles all their animal waste, any deceased animals, straw, café waste and anything else that’s compost worthy. They make enough compost to ill the zoo’s needs and they sell the excess to the community,” says Green. “The Dubai Safari Park has 3 units to handle all their waste. With the inal product used to regenerate the land and gardens around the park” The 1206 is also put to good use by a wide variety of companies around the world with smaller but still signi icant waste to deal with, ranging from an eco-friendly tourist resort in Fiji to a Whiskey Distillery in Kentucky, USA. ‘Waste is a global issue,” says Green, “and people are struggling to ind solutions, so that’s where we come in with our sustainable, environmentally friendly systems. Be-spoke and designed to meet their speci ic needs.” COMET having an impact HotRot guarantees that plant designed, installed and operated according to our guidelines will not result in odour problems for your business. ODOUR FREE GUARANTEE COMPACT & SCALEABLE LOW OPERATING COSTS +64 3 377 8822 82 Waterloo Rd, Chch andrew.green@globalcomposting.com ROBUST & DURABLE HotRot systems require 50-75% less space than similar sized in-vessel and tunnel composting systems. Annual operating costs for a HotRot plant are 25% less than for a comparable tunnel composting facility. HotRot systems require 50-75% less labour than similar sized in-vessel and tunnel composting systems. Hotrot is the foundation of a highly efficient and cost effective system for your composting needs A NEW GENERATION COMPOSTING SYSTEM
8 | BUSINESS Sustainable Business Network Awards - Piritahi Alliance Collaboration benefits communities Karen Phelps Neighbourhoods that the Piritahi Alliance is working on in planning and development include Mangere West. The Piritahi Alliance is a great example of how collaboration can change lives and communities, says Piritahi early works operations manager Hugh McLaughlin. Piritahi, which means ‘to be together’, was formed in late 2018 to deliver infrastructure for land and housing that communities need. This saw design companies, Harrison Grierson (survey, design, consenting), Tonkin + Taylor (environmental and engineering) and Woods (engineering, surveying, planning), joined by constructors and civil work specialists Dempsey Wood and Hick Bros Group. Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities is the owner-participant of the Alliance and its only client. Hugh says the Alliance collaboration has brought many benefits including shared risk for economic sustainability, procurement gains through aggregation and leveraging the extensive pipeline of work to stimulate innovation with supply partners. An in-house innovation hub, seeking initiatives that can demonstratively economise on time and money, recorded a saving of $2million from the last financial year alone. Based in Tāmaki Makaurau the works undertaken by the Alliance are part of the largest urban regeneration programme in New Zealand history led by the Kāinga Ora Urban Development Delivery (UDD) team. Piritahi is responsible for delivering the horizontal infrastructure for large-scale projects across Auckland, providing an important opportunity to improve and increase amenity, public space, and vital infrastructure works. Responsibilities include site investigations, detailed civil design and construction, the removal of old state houses, land remediation, arranging resource consents, creation of new land titles and the construction of infrastructure. Hugh says that Piritahi also presents broader opportunities including smart procurement negotiations, which allow manufacturing suppliers to invest in their own innovation pipelines with a guaranteed return-on-investment through large-scale, long-term contracts. He says the benefits of this innovation will be felt industry wide. Neighbourhoods that the Alliance is working on in planning and development are Aorere, Māngere East, Māngere West, Tāmaki (Glen Innes, Pt. England, Panmure), Roskill South, Ōwairaka, Wāikōwhai, Wesley, Oranga, Northcote and Catalina Bay (Hobsonville). “Collectively, these developments will be generating tens of thousands of market, affordable and social houses for Tāmaki Makaurau, something that Piritahi and its partners are proud to be part of,” says Hugh. He says that Piritahi focuses on continuous improvement within its business, with a major goal to improve construction sector practices including health, safety and wellbeing, sustainability and environmental outcomes and productivity. “Social outcomes are prioritised by looking after the communities we work in, creating workplace opportunities and jobs and upskilling our workforce all while partnering with mana whenua to ensure we are meeting Kāinga Ora obligations to Māori,” explains Hugh. The Alliance is also involved with organisations that support the creation of jobs and future potential for youth, including the Kāinga Ora Construction Plus programme There has also been a general investment by the Alliance in innovation around training, which has included simulator technology and online Talent Learning Management Systems (Talent LMS) to monitor and grow competencies of onsite teams, underpinned by a significant health and safety focus. “By increasing competencies off-site this generates cost efficiencies by shifting training off-site the result is less disruption to our programme works,” explains Hugh. Environmental outcomes have been another big focus. Hugh says that it is well recognized that construction waste is the biggest contributor to landfill in New Zealand. With 7000 state homes in Auckland needing to be removed for new housing, Hugh says that the Alliance’s Housing Removal Programme is blazing the trail, exceeding the “Collectively, these developments will be generating tens of thousands of market, affordable and social houses for Tāmaki Makaurau, something that Piritahi and its partners are proud to be part of.” Kāinga Ora 7% house relocation target by more than four times (31% achieved FY21), while achieving 87% (FY21) diversion from landfill from demolished houses, also well above the 80% target. From July 2020 to April 2021, Piritahi diverted more than 10,000 tonnes of construction waste from landfill – recycling core materials and contributing to the circular economy. “We need to do more as a country to reduce materials sent to landfill. This demonstrates that Piritahi and Kāinga Ora are leading from the front.” The House Removal Programme also helps facilitate transitional housing for Kāinga Ora, while working with social enterprise, Ara, that provides training and apprenticeships to South Auckland secondary schools’ gateway programmes. The difference the Alliance has made to lives and communities is palpable, says Hugh: in three years Piritahi has handed over 140 super lots to Kāinga Ora, which has enabled the construction of 2,150 new homes in Tāmaki Makaurau. The Alliance received a commendation in the 2021 Sustainable Business Network awards in the Outstanding Collaboration category. It is also finalist in a spate of other awards including the 2022 IPWEA Awards and The Property People Awards 2021. “Piritahi is achieving its core purpose, of delivering infrastructure for land and housing that communities need. “It’s a great feeling to be making such a very real difference in the lives of Aucklanders and creating benefits that will be felt industry wide in the process.”
| 9 BUSINESS Sustainable Business Network Awards - Piritahi Alliance Assisting clients such as Piritahi Alliance is the reason that The Plant People exists. With The Plant People’s strong focus on community and the environment it’s been the perfect partnership, says company commercial manager Sean Yates. “We’re very proud to be involved with Piritahi Alliance, which won a commendation award in the 2021 Sustainable Business Network awards,” he says. Formed in the 1980s, The Plant People assists clients with all their commercial landscape requirements, providing professional services in all areas of horticulture. The company operates out of its main depot in Otahuhu supported by plant and tree nurseries at Oratia and Dairy Flat, as well as bases in Christchurch and the Waikato region. Its services cover a broad scope including commercial landscaping and landscape construction, urban and parks developments and civil works for residential developments. It also o ers advanced construction and horticultural services including the design and construction of stormwater ponds and revegetation planting projects. Sean says The Plant People are proud to work for many long-term clients such as Piritahi Alliance, which delivers infrastructure for land and housing for Kāinga Ora. “We really value our clients and aim to foster lasting relationships. It’s about understanding their requirements and going the extra mile when need be. At The Plant People we are very solution focused and love to think outside the square.” He says a big part of The Plant People’s success is due to its sta . The company employs a team of over 100 with a variety of skills including sta with environmental and landscaping degrees. Sean says health and safety is a vital aspect of the company’s business and The Plant People have met secondary level for ACC Workplace Safety Management practices and are currently working towards obtaining tertiary level status. It is also Gold Card members of Site Safe and The Plant People have also achieved Pre Quali ied under the Impac Prequal System. Its focus on people also extends to supporting the wider community and The Plant People make regular donations to schools, local charities and other organisations with cash, product and labour. Of course the company’s general work also bene its the economic and social vitality of communities by making them more attractive for people to enjoy. “Our aim is to be the market leader in the delivery of innovative environmental enhancement solutions, delivering high quality landscapes for future generations.” The perfect partnership • Landscaping • Construction • Group Housing • Maintenance & Mowing • Environmental • Nursery E : info@theplantpeople.co.nz Free Phone : 0800 843 775 Aluminium Shoring Solutions... ...that can take the knocks! P 09 298 9043 E auckland@mabeyhire.co.nz W mabeyhire.co.nz As trench shoring pioneers and specialists in the groundworks market we have a shield system to suit any trench shoring application. We pioneered Mabey Ultra Shields, the next generation ultra-strong, ultra-lightweight aluminium shoring that does not compromise on strength. Shoring in the Mabey Ultra Shield range includes some of the lightest boxes available in the market today, which in turn delivers safety and operational benefits to your sites. FULL RANGE TRENCH SHORING The original, high performing aluminium shoring range available in New Zealand. These shields have revolutionised trench shoring since their introduction. The ultra-lightweight, ultra-strong design has resulted in significant project time and cost savings for many contractors without compromising the shield’s rated capacity. ULTRA SHIELDS Our first drag capable range of aluminium trench shields. Mabey’s Versa Shield range offers the benefits of an aluminium shoring shield with structural and design modifications that enables aluminium shields to do more than ever before! If you need a lighter-weight shoring solution that can stand up to the knocks and can provide greater working internal widths as well as better under strut clearances, a shield from the Mabey Versa range is your answer. VERSA SHIELDS Our Heavy Duty steel shields are designed and built for the toughest ground conditions and maximum internal working clearances. We have sourced some of the strongest steel fixed panel shields available today. Our new steel shields are stronger and even lighter than most other competitors. Compare and enquire today! HEAVY DUTY SHIELDS
10 | REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Hundertwasser Art Centre Hundertwasser’s vision now a reality Kim Newth The colourful tile-and-plaster clad building features an eight-metre-high gold cupola, the largest afforested roof in the southern hemisphere, and ‘tree tenants’ sprouting from windows. Photos: Tessa Paton Nearly three decades after Austrian-Kiwi artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser sketched out a design for a new art gallery in Whangārei, his one-of-a-kind vision has finally been realised. The new Hundertwasser Art Centre (HAC), which opened this month by the Hātea River in the marina area, is utterly unique and positions Whangārei as a world class arts destination. The colourful tile-and-plaster clad building - an architectural work of art in itself - features an eight-metre-high gold cupola, the largest afforested roof in the southern hemisphere, and ‘tree tenants’ sprouting from windows. Inside are two art galleries housing the only permanent display of original Hundertwasser works outside of Austria and the first public gallery in Aotearoa New Zealand dedicated exclusively to the finest in contemporary Māori art, curated entirely by Māori, (‘Wairau Māori Art Galley’). The building also includes a restaurant that spills out onto a terrace overlooking the marina, a gift shop, a theatre, and a learning centre. “Since the construction fences came down last December, interest in this building has been absolutely phenomenal,” says HAC Chief Executive Kathleen Drumm. “We’re excited about the level of awareness considering we’re a brand-new business and an arts centre in a part of the country that perhaps many people haven’t yet discovered. “At a time when people cannot travel internationally, it’s wonderful that New Zealanders can discover something new that is like nothing else in the southern hemisphere and reflects the incredible tenacity and determination of this community-led project.” Hundertwasser, who was one of Europe’s most celebrated modernist artists, was revered also for his architectural designs infused with creativity and a visionary ecological dimension. That spirit of spontaneity, organic irregularity and harmony with nature is honoured in this incredible new building, which grew out of Hundertwasser’s last architectural sketches. Floors inside the main atrium gently undulate to replicate the feeling of walking in the bush. The galleries are floored with recycled native timber. Teams of community volunteers chipped and cleaned up around 35,000 old red bricks for use in the build. There are more than a million pieces of tile in the building and the individual creative expression of local artisans can be glimpsed in the myriad details. New Zealand was Hundertwasser’s adopted home, and he spent 30 years living in the Bay of Islands before his death in 2000. He created the art gallery design after being approached by then Mayor Stan Semenoff, but getting it built proved far from straightforward. It took a referendum, a massive public fundraising Absolute Stainless12 Loygard Road. Port Nikau, Whangarei e: info@absolutestainless.co.nz p: 09 430 8608 www.absolutestainless.co.nz Benches / Range Hoods / Brackets / Flashings Hand Rails / Ladders / Bollards ABSOLUTE STAINLESS FOR QUALITY YOU’LL LOVE STAINLESS & ALUMINIUM SPECIALISTS A B S O L U T E Providing innovative engineering solutions to Northland and beyond for over 60 years. 09 438 3273 of ce@RSEng.co.nz www.RSEng.co.nz 2 Seaview Rd, Whangarei 0110 campaign and quite literally thousands of hours by volunteers to bring the project to fruition. “A lot of local businesspeople in the community worked hard over the years to help maintain interest and generate fund raising. There were many challenges to get something so idiosyncratic, and at times contentious, across the line.” The Hundertwasser Foundation in Vienna played a big role in guiding the project as it progressed. “One of Hundertwasser’s original architects Heinz M. Springmann worked with New Zealand architect Grant Harris [HB Architecture] to realize every single element of this building.” Kathleen, who grew up in Whangārei, joined the project two and a half years ago from an international career in the arts. “The Hundertwaser Art Centre is going to be fantastic for Whangārei. When you’re up close to the building, you really feel that sense of it being handmade – the quality and craft. It’s absolutely beautiful.” Whenever Hundertwasser created a building, he always made a 3D model of it and some of these will be going on display at the centre. These include his pitch for the Museum of New Zealand, which New Zealanders will be able to see as a copy of the original 3D model, specially recreated for display at the HAC. A newly created civic park adjoins the new art centre and next door is the refurbished Whangārei Art Museum, with further art galleries and studios nearby. It all creates real momentum for Whangārei’s financial, economic, and cultural health. Anyone who may doubt the transformative potential of art for cities should look no further than MONA – the Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart, Tasmania, which opened in 2011 and is today recognized as one of Australia’s most important contemporary art museums and has had a profound economic impact on the entire state of Tasmania and highlighted other local attractions. The Hundertwasser Art Centre will be a magnet for visitors and is destined to become one of the most photographed buildings in the country.
| 11 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Hundertwasser Art Gallery In the lead up to the opening of Whangārei’s Hundertwasser Art Centre, project architect Grant Harris, of HB Architecture, is quietly relieved and immensely satis ied that this beautifully idiosyncratic building is now complete and ready to open its doors. It has been a hugely absorbing project over many years for Grant and his associate Kerry Reyburn, who worked closely with German architect and Hundertwasser authority Heinz M. Springmann along with the Hundertwasser Foundation in Vienna and its chair JoramHarel, to ful il Hundertwasser’s visionary concept. “So many local people put so much time – tens of thousands of voluntary hours - into this. Seeing the building completed, and the relief as well as the joy on the faces of the people involved, has been so rewarding. That has been the most wonderful part of the project.” A crucial step in the realisation of the Hundertwasser Art Centre involved creating a piece of sculptural architecture called Te Kakano as a test bed for the bigger project. This was completed by HB Architecture in 2016. “It encapsulated as many aspects of the big building as we could conceive of at the time.” While HB Architecture’s role was essentially to provide the blank canvas concrete structure for the building, Grant and his team also had input into the intricate inishing process. Working with a scale model of the building in conjunction with original concept drawings had enabled many of the iner details to be generated, such as exterior tiling patterns. Grant twice travelled to Vienna – in 2012 and 2018 - to become familiarised with Hundertwasser’s unique architectural oeuvre. It has been a long and challenging journey for the Whangārei community that put so much into this singular building. Grant says there were many di icult moments along that way, yet the result is undeniably astonishing. “When you receive a lovely ‘thank you’ email from someone like JoramHarel, as I did a few days ago, the rest just drops away. These are the highlights you remember.” Founded in 2007, HB Architecture has a strong commercial and residential design portfolio. This small Whangārei-based practice with a passion for design excellence has made a signi icant design contribution at Waitangi, where seven projects have been completed to date. Another stunning design of note is Knoll Ridge Café at Whakapapa Ski Field on Mt. Ruapehu. Bespoke, high end residential builds is also a core focus for HB Architecture, which has a number of new residential projects underway in 2022. Rewarding end to architectural odyssey Good designs achieve a purpose. Great designs transform a purpose. Passion for design starts with a deeper understanding. Form, function, aesthetics, flow, spatial dynamics: our design concepts unlock potential, transforming spaces and engaging the senses. Our buildings resonate with their surroundings while achieving their purpose, using clean lines, natural light and rawmaterials to create structures that are much more than the sum of their parts. Form, function, aesthetics, flow, spatial dynamics: our design concepts unlock potential, transforming spaces and engaging the senses. Our buildings resonate with their surroundings while achieving their purpose, using clean lines, natural light and rawmaterials to create structures that are much more than the sum of their parts. 09 438 9545 info@hbarchitecture.co.nz hbarchitecture.co.nz 198 Bank Street, Whangarei Starting 2022 with a new name – Scope – represents a coming of age for Northland’s specialist project management team, previously trading as Gri iths & Associates. The company started by founding directors Trevor Gri iths and Heather Tomason in 2003 is today a regional market leader in project management employing a team of 23. While Trevor continues to be a valued part of the team, he stepped aside as a shareholder last year. “It was time to take the business into a new phase and Scope is a name that captures what we do as a provider o ering end to end project management services,” says Ben Tomason, Scope Managing Director. Scope has a wealth of experience in premium project management and quantity surveying spanning community, commercial, housing, civil construction, education, health and property development. One of the most iconic projects for the team has been Whangārei’s Hundertwasser Art Centre (HAC) with Wairau Māori Arts. As Scope project director and engineer to the contract, Ben played a key role in the evolution of this visionary building. “Project managers Kelly Haora, Peter Riehl and project assistant Sophie Herzog-Bell played signi icant roles too - living and breathing our partnership values into the project. Their teamwork was fantastic. Technically it has been a very challenging project, requiring a huge amount of ingenuity and problem solving. As project managers with hands-on understanding of construction projects, this is where we add value. “Having good relationships and communication has been paramount. We established a partnership culture that involved everybody putting the project irst and formed great relationships with the Hundertwasser Foundation in Vienna and their architect in Germany. It was a real labour of love for us. Although our journey with this project is coming to an end, we will be a part of it forever.” Another recent project for the team is the Salvation Army’s newWhangārei headquarters, which will be complete by mid-February 2022 providing a wide range of community and social services. “It was a big year for us and 2022 is shaping up well with a number of exciting social housing, education, health and commercial projects ahead of us. We’re proud supporters and continue to be a part of Ōruku Landing, a proposed waterfront development in Whangārei.” Scope were inalists in the 2021 New Zealand Institute of Building Industry Awards. Project managers Darren Tantau was an awards inalist for the Tauraroa Area School Gymnasium and Marc Forrester won the Collaboration Excellence Award for Northland’s Te Ora Hou facility development. Managing Director Ben Tomason won the Consultants’ Excellence Award for his work on the Mōkau Marae rebuild. Scope – Total Project Partners For everything property and construction Ou r Mi s s i o n : To take projects from “Concept to Keys” through adding value and minimalising risk and by being the custodian of cost, quality & timing for our clients. Ou r V i s i o n : To bring together the most innovative and efficient group of specialists under the Scope branding to project manage and service the needs of the built environment. Ou r Co r e Va l u e s : Commitment, integrity, taking on ‘ownership’ of projects, visionary leadership and excellence in delivery. P ROU D LY S U P P O R T I N G H U ND E R T WA S S E R A R T G A L L E RY P 09 430 3072 E hello@scopeprojectsnz.com Mansfield House, 127 Bank Street, Whangarei 0110, Northland PO Box 454, Whangarei 0140
12 | Far North Holdings: United Civil Construction Mangōnui waterfront transformed Karen Phelps The Mangōnui Wharf extension work involves installing piles at the water’s edge, attaching joists to the piles, then a layer of wooden decking on top of the joists to create the boardwalk. “Mangōnui is a small township yet it has some big events such as a waterfront festival, which attracts around 5000 people. This is just one stage of the waterfront development with more project coming in future years.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Mangōnui’s waterfront has been transformed by a project that has had strong community involvement to deliver a result with locals at the forefront, says Far North Holdings general manager Chris Galbraith. The recently completed Far North District Council project, which was managed by Far North Holdings, was initiated to enable safer and better pedestrian movement around the township and to improve local engagement with the coastal marine area. It will also establish an enhanced commercial presence for the township, resulting in considerable economic benefit, says Chris. The project involves an extension of the existing wooden boardwalk, by approximately 350 metres from the War Memorial on Waterfront Road to Tasman Street, which then links to a 550-metre gravel path ending at Māori Point. The design also includes dual walking and cycling boardwalks to connect the village with the harbour and a new jetty and pontoon to provide access to the water for recreational activities, including boating, fishing and swimming. The project will also boost parking by up to 40 spaces, improve street and boardwalk lighting, extend footpaths, and add concrete steps for swimmers at the jetty, gangway and pontoon. United Civil Construction is the lead contractor on the project. The company has previously worked on other Far North Holdings projects including the Paihia Wharf rebuild. The Mangōnui Wharf extension work involves installing piles at the water’s edge, attaching joists to the piles, then a layer of wooden decking on top of the joists to create the boardwalk. Chris says that even despite issues thrown at the project by Covid-19 lockdowns the project team managed to keep the work largely on track. The project is the culmination of five years of work by the Mangōnui Waterfront Development Working Group that included valued input and support from local hapu. A community survey in 2019 found strong support for plans to extend the boardwalk, increase parking and install a gangway and pontoon at the circular wharf. Chris says from the outset the aim was to deliver a project that captured what the community wanted. “Mangōnui is a small township yet it has some big events such as a waterfront festival, which attracts around 5000 people. This is just one stage of the waterfront development with more project coming in future years.” Chris says by increasing Mangōnui’s waterfront recreation area, the project will result in considerable economic benefit drawing more people – both local and from further afield – to the area. “The community is very excited about the project and now have a much greater connectivity with the township and coastal area. Everyone will enjoy the economic benefits,” says Chris. This first stage of the overall project is being funded by $1.4m million from the Council’s Long Term Plan and a $1.75 million contribution from the Government’s COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. It is just one of a number of marine projects, which have also been assisted by government funding, that Far North Holdings is undertaking in the region. Other projects include Rangitane Maritime facilities development, Pukenui Wharf and Unahi Wharf redevelopments, Te Karaka Wharf upgrade, Motuti boardwalk pontoon, Rangi Point development and Mangungu Wharf upgrade. “These projects will result in lower maintenance and much safer structures that will have long-term cost saving benefits,’ says Chris. “By really advancing the quality of maritime infrastructure it will improve community access and drive economic activity.”
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