36 | Bragg Building & Design T T Russell Fredric Waihōpai Rūnaka project brings joy The duplexes, each with a double carport and verandas, which were additions suggested by Bragg Building and Design, are built adjacent to the marae and were designed by specialist architectural company Boon. REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Completing a kaumātua papakāika (housing) project for Waihōpai Rūnaka was a proud moment with special significance for Invercargill company Bragg Building and Design. The project followed on from the rūnaka building – a $13 million multi-purpose environmentally sustainable marae complex based on a unique tohorā (whale) design to reflect the history of Waihōpai. Bragg Building and Design owner Shahn Bragg says building the four duplexes comprising eight, two-bedroom units situated adjacent to the marae was a big undertaking for his team. “Normally, we don’t build on that sort of scale and do that many at one time, but it was quite exciting and the team enjoyed it. It was a cool thing to be a part of, and the marae welcomed us and our team. “It gave us an opportunity to learn a bit about my whakapapa as well, because I’m of Ngāi Tahu heritage so it was quite special for me, and helped me and my family reconnect with the marae.” Bragg Building and Design won the job through a competitive tender process on the prompting of the quantity surveyor that managed the project to submit a tender. Shahn believes a factor contributing to winning the tender was completing three houses for Kainga Ora in 2023. “We were able to prove ourselves and do the project efficiently and in a good time frame. That was a big part of what gave us an opportunity to do this papakāika project.” Work started in April last year, with final handover at the end of May this year. The duplexes, each with a double carport and verandas, which were additions suggested by Bragg Building and Design, are built adjacent to the marae and were designed by specialist architectural company Boon, which also designed the striking marae complex. The two-bedroom units feature fully accessible bathrooms and kitchens in four of the 10 units, which are suited to tenants in wheelchairs. Like the marae, which has solar panels spread across its entire roof, the units also have solar panels and were built to a high level of energy efficiency and include a double layer of wool insulation in the ceiling for a value of R6.4, with R3.2 in the walls versus the required building code standard of R2.0. “I think wool is a great product to be able to use to support the local economy; it’s a natural product, so it’s good.” The exterior timber framing is clad with Kooltherm K12 lightweight insulation board. Shahn says that this improves the thermal resistance of any cavity adjacent to the board and is overlaid with vertical cedar for the veneer, with both this and the roofing coloured to match the marae. “There were some challenges at the start with soft ground; some of the footings go down to two or three metres deep, which did pose some challenges coming into winter when we started, but we worked our way through that and got it out of the ground in good time and kept on schedule. “It was great for us to complete a project like that so everyone can see what we can do and that we do a big variety of work from residential right through to commercial.” Proud Design Partners of Bragg Building & Design Ltd. RES I DENT I AL & COMMERC I AL PH 03 215 9208 CELL 0274 346 012 | 0274 346 009 A/Hrs 03 2130 811 or 03 213 1575 18 Arena Avenue | Invercargill • Drainlayers • Plumbing • Roofing • Registered • Bathroom & Kitchen • Renovations Quality Kitchens wardrobes - laundries - pantries www.qualkitchens.co.nz / 03 218 7180 / 5 Bute St. Invercargill Proud to support Bragg Building and Design 100% Southland Owned and Operated 6 Nith St, Invercargill | P: 03 218 7713 W: www.4tiles.co.nz BRAGG BUILDING & DESIGN LTD proud supporters of SOUTHLANDS LARGEST TILE SELECTION
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