Business North May 2021

| 97 The main temple building is one of four buildings in the project. Buddhist Temple project has plenty of challenges T Kelly Deeks BUILDING RFC Construction H igh-end Auckland builder RFC Construc- tion is completing another one-of-a- kind project with the build of a Korean Buddhist Temple on the Coatesville Riverhead Highway. RFC Construction is just three years old but has already broken into the high-end archi- tectural market, starting even new homes last year alone, as well as smaller renovation and reclad projects. While project managing several building sites, RFC Construction owner Stewart Mackay works part-time in a consultancy role for Blacktree Architects. As well as helping to iron out the creases in the design and construction phases, the relationship also allows the two companies to share projects. The latest of these now under construction is the Korean Buddhist Temple. The temple sits on 10 acres of daffodil fields and the building itself is shaped like a daffodil. The plans have been with Blacktree Con- struction for 11 years, since every three years a new head monk is appointed, and they would bring their own ideas to add to the design. A plan was finally locked in and gained consent last year, one of the highlights of the project so far considering the 11 year planning phase and the fact the design had to be accepted by each of about 30 people on the Korean Buddhist Temple Trust. Work on site began straight after lockdown, and with the renowned clay soils, high water table, and underground river of Riverhead, getting out of the ground required a mam- moth effort by highly trained specialists. “The biggest on site highlight was getting all of the slabs down,” Stewart says. “It took about four months and we did it in the middle of winter. “The water table was so bad, the boys were working up to their waists in water, and we had eight water pumps going constantly for four months.” It took 182 12m piles to be driven into the ground to handle the water table, and total of 350 cubic metres of concrete poured by Sunset Concrete, to turn those terrible ground conditions into a beautifully finished platform for RFC Construction to build on. United Steel provided about $.5million of structural steel for the project, and comment- ed it was the highest-end job ever completed in terms of the detail in the steel. Another $.5 million was spent on custom beams from HTL Nelson, and combined these will eventually take the one-storey temple up to 18m high, with a 9m high internal ceiling. The temple building is one of four build- ings in this project, and is the main feature surrounded by a two-storey meditation room with the head monk’s accommodation above, a two-storey reflection room, and a one-storey toilet block. “It took about four months and we did it in the middle of winter. The water table was so bad, the boys were working up to their waists in water, and we had eight water pumps going constantly for four months.” Stewart his strong team of manpower, who are all employed because they offer more than the average, will complete this project in July. RFC Construction’s go to man on site, Charles Woodall, is on site all day every day and Stewart says the project couldn’t have been done without Charles’ dedication and long-term investment he has in the company. Builder/client communication with the all Korean-speaking Trust has been a challenge Stewart has been able to overcome with a modicum of patience from both sides. Blacktree Architects directors Joon Park and Paul Lee are Korean New Zealanders and able to translate, and Stewart has also downloaded a translator app on to his phone, and Goog- le-translates emails. RFC Construction has just started its next big project, another one-of-a-kind build on the North Shore of a 982sqm home with a cus- tom-designed turntable in the six car garage. Another high water table on this project, it’s going to take 10 months to get the slab down. Stewart will take it in his stride. 0210467204 rnkelectrical@hotmail.com SPECIALISING IN : • Residential & Commercial • Heat pump installation & Servicing • Renovation, Maintenance & New builds • Alarm & Security PROUDLY SUPPORTING RFC CONSTRUCTION Professional Services: • Plumbing • Gas fitting • Drainlaying Contact us: max@kpaplumbing.com • 020 411 72644 Along with great staff we have great suppliers too which makes your job seamless from start to finish 10 YEARS EXPERIENCE Scaffolding, Drainage & Earthworks & Civil Industry Your Job Done The First Time 021 106 8521 www.allaboutdevelopments.co.nz