18 | “This building has been designed to foster innovation and higher productivity.” REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT Higgs Construction: 200 High Street T T Kim Newth A special building for central Chch The project has been purposely designed to further reinvigorate the heart of the city. High Street has a new jewel in its crown, as a multi-faceted, futuristic seven-storey building nears completion in and Higgs Construction gets ready to hand over this exciting new addition. Located at 200 High St, this nine-sided building is visually striking. Forming the structure of the 2200sqm building is a detailed structural steel frame, including BRBs, concrete floor slabs, colour precast wall panels and a raking triangular panelled glazed curtain wall, all sitting on a 26-metre deep, screw-piled foundation system. “This building has been designed to foster innovation and higher productivity,” says developer/owner Andrew Hill, who partnered with AW Architects in the creation of the unique design. “Rather than developing a building to maximise returns, the focus here has been on designing an attractive building and an enjoyable working environment.” High St provided the ideal setting to achieve the vision for an interesting building where staff could be close to windows, with views of the city, immersed in a work environment that’s a bit different. The project has also been purposely designed to further reinvigorate the heart of the city. “Even though the earthquakes happened a long time ago now, I wanted to contribute to rebuilding the central city because there are still a lot of gaps and empty vacant sections. It’s about reinvesting back into the city and wanting to create something unique,” says Andrew. With its unusual shape, the building exudes out-of-the-box character and boasts a bespoke interior. Rather than large, open-plan work areas the internal layout favours individual and small team offices, complemented by common meeting rooms and amenities like a beautifully designed balcony space. The small, extremely tight site next to The Muse Hotel threw up some challenges for the Higgs Construction team building the detailed structure. Each of the floors is of a differing shape and size, reflecting the raked triangular façade and the nine-sided floor plate. The detailed geometry proved incredibly challenging, but strong teamwork ensured all the numerous elements were brought together to deliver what is standing tall today. Andrew is the founder of software as a service product GymMaster, used by clubs and gyms all over the world. His team is very much looking forward to moving into their new building in late September. A portion of the building will also be leased out. Higgs Construction’s Potain tower crane (in reduced capacity mode) was an essential element in the erection of the 25m-tall building structure on the tight site, which left little room for loading in, given its proximity to neighbouring buildings and other construction activity. “Our team was led by our senior project manager Mark Weber, his wider team and our contracts manager and director, Stephen Mouat,” says Paul Harris, director of Higgs Construction. “Our team worked closely with several significant key partners on this project to bring together the intended design, coordinating and bringing the core elements together. The collaborative approach is what has made this challenging build a success.” Higgs Construction has delivered not only the seven-storey base build, but also the fitouts on all levels, with the handover process now fast advancing. “It has been a privilege to have partnered with our client on this project, under the leadership of the client’s project manager RCP and the wider consultant group,” says Paul. “We look forward to seeing our client’s team enjoy their new facility along with the other tenants. It’s a special building and one that we are extremely proud of delivering.” Higgs Construction has been recognised for its continuous construction delivery for many years. The construction of this latest office building and many others of similar scale and complexity demonstrate the company’s capability as a construction leader in Canterbury. admin@ewsmith.co.nz 03 341 5053 EWSmith are proud toworkwith Higgs Construction Ltd www.mcintoshgroup.co.nz • Precast Wall Panels • Columns & Beams • Stairs & Landings • Architectural Finishes • Insulated Panels McInstosh Precast is proud to be associated with Higgs Construction on the 200 High Street Project John McIntosh Managing Director | McIntosh Precast Limited 38 J B Cullen Drive, Ashburton | Phone: (03) 307 8557 | Cell: 027 258 0668 | Email: precast@mcintoshgroup.co.nz
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