48 | DC Structures Studio: Aoraki-Mount Cook Swing Bridge REGIONAL Proud to support Dan Crocker and the team at DC Structures on the Hooker Bridge Project. Residential | Commercial | Earthquake Repairs canmet.co.nz 03 379 6077 quotes@canmet.co.nz W abseilaccess.co.nz ENGINEERING AND ROPE ACCESS SERVICES THAT KEEP YOUR WORLD MOVING Providing specialist services nation-wide on sites and locations that seem inaccessible. • Asset Integrity • Bridges • Conservation • Energy • Explosives & Blasting • Geotechnical CIVIL GEOTECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT I I Your partner in civil and geotechnical engineering, shaping your next project. www.macc.co.nz Geoff 027 434 8745 office@macc.co.nz I I T T Virginia Wright Building bridges - literally Spanning the Hooker River in Aorangi/ Mt Cook National Park, the 189m long Hooker Valley suspension bridge is New Zealand’s longest suspension bridge (and footbridge). Dan Crocker of DC Structures Studio has passion fro building bridges - literally. The structural and civil engineer specialises in bridge engineering. Once he’d completed his main studies, Dan did an additional course in architectural engineering which he describes as learning the discipline to design things that are ‘pretty but economical at the same time’, which is more or less what he’s been doing ever since. “There are tons and tons of bridges in New Zealand either being built, refurbished, replaced or maintained. DOC alone has 200 suspension bridges and NZTA’s (New Zealand Transport Authority) would be in the 1000s. Once you start noticing them there are bridges everywhere connecting our communities,” says Dan. In the 10 years since he and his wife Rebekah set up DC Structures Studio Dan has focused solely on foot and cycle bridges, with a particular focus on suspension bridges. His specific passion is for the more architectural complex bridges that not only connect their community but can provide them a focal point when they’re out for a walk or a ride, or simply somewhere to go and have a picnic with the family. For DC Structures Studio every bridge is an opportunity to achieve that same cost-effective formula for success he’s aimed for from the start, although sculptural is perhaps a better description than pretty. “We try and make bridges that are unique to their communities, that they can celebrate and take pride in. One of my favourites is the Toki Bridge in Buller,” says Dan. Working closely with the Buller District Council they designed the distinctive silhouette of Westport’s Toki Bridge which references the areas deep, historic connections to pounamu, greenstone. In Taranaki they worked closely with local iwi when they designed the Maunganui Gorge Bridge which integrates artwork and celebrates their connection with their maunga, Mt Taranaki. “We’ve also just done the Waka Bridge in Gisborne to celebrate the 1000-year landing of Māori to the region and it’s literally a beautiful waka suspended in the air,” Dan says. Their most recently completed project brought a shift in DC Structure Studio’s approach. Whereas generally they design a bridge to be the focal point in its environment, in the case of what is now New Zealand’s longest suspension bridge (and footbridge), spanning the Hooker River, the surrounding environment in the Aorangi/ Mt Cook National Park is so iconically spectacular they knew they didn’t want to detract from that. “Nature’s the star so we had to step back a bit and think about how to make it almost recessive into the environment. We went with a hybrid approach.” Instead of the usual 25-metre-high solid timber, quite prominent ‘mast’ on a massive platform, as typically seen on a DOC suspension bridge, at either end of this 189-metre span bridge the mast is only five metres high on a 5m x 5m footprint. The lower mast not only helps preserve an unobstructed view of the mountains, it’s also easier to inspect which helps with the long-term maintenance of the bridge which is part of any bridge’s ongoing resilience. While Dan took the lead in the design, he worked closely with DOC’s project manager, Angela Sergeant, and collaborated with one of their engineering team, Jono Calder, on the concept ideas. Riley Consultants did the all-important geotechnical engineering and designed the foundation and anchor systems, Speights Drilling Ltd partnered with Abseil Access on the successfully completed construction, and Canterbury Metal Works was responsible for all the metalwork. “Everything fitted first time which was important in such a remote location,” says Dan. DC Structures Studio feature strongly when it comes to winning awards for bridges in New Zealand and has done so from the beginning. All three of the bridges described above won Supreme, or Gold Awards in a variety of categories across different award ceremonies. Most recently the Waka Bridge won two separate categories and the Supreme Award in this year’s New Zealand Commercial Project Awards which included bridges for the first time. As it was only opened in July 2026 it’s too early to know, but it seems likely that the Hooker Valley suspension bridge will add to their already impressive tally.
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