WORDS Liam Stretch

While the days of a crane-filled skyline in post-quake Christchurch might be behind us, construction remains steady in the city and throughout New Zealand. Architect Richard Dalman gets us up to speed.

For Richard Dalman of Dalman Architects, we’re in an exciting time. His firm alone has 17 buildings in various stages of construction across the country.

Many of these projects are now transitioning from blueprints to reality after a lengthy pre-build process. From the initial concept to driving the first pile into the ground can take six months to three years, depending on the size and complexity of the project.

Dalman’s current projects range from house alterations to hotel refurbishments, commercial projects, and churches. There’s an underground house in Tekapo, a pub-to-boutique-hotel conversion in Cambridge, transformation of the old Rydges Hotel on Oxford Terrace, two new churches and a new orthodontist building in Christchurch, and a 41-storey apartment and hotel tower on Auckland’s Queen Street.

Richard says that the construction phase is thrilling and demonstrates the expertise of those in the industry, something he reflects on from his 35 years as an architect.

“One of the joys of being an architect is seeing buildings get built. We have a strong respect for what builders do and what they can accomplish.”

“I recall watching as the largest double-glazed window in Canterbury was lifted and installed at my own house by Clive Barrington Builders. It was a real team effort with the sub-contractors, and the result is fabulous,” Richard says.

Richard says the construction process is a great way to see how building elements transition from design to being formed on-site. This can be said for the flying entry canopy at the new Hope Church Rolleston. Its circular opening required Bushnell Builders to combine timber, plywood, and steel to create the cantilevered canopy.

To Richard, this sort of craftsmanship is not to be understated. Richard mentions how the different idiosyncrasies of builds provide challenges.

“Working on existing buildings can be quite different to new greenfield buildings in that they provide constraints and numerous issues can arise as elements of a building are stripped back.”

Site conditions also provide challenges, like the Indigo Hotel and apartments in downtown Auckland and a home in the Mackenzie foothills.

Richard explains that urban sites with limited space, like the Indigo Hotel, required the contractor Icon Construction to work right up to the boundary; in contrast, the house in Tekapo at the base of Mount John offered space aplenty, but challenges arose in that most of its construction was underground, which was a requirement to reduce light spill in this ‘dark sky’ area.

“It was designed as an underground house, and this was achieved by cutting into the small hillside and burying all of the house except for the western face. The house is mostly made out of concrete, and we utilised a large diameter Hynds concrete pipe for an underground passage.”

Richard says it is essential to find the right builder to help achieve the client’s vision and work well with the architect.

“Selecting a builder for the project is always critical. We take several factors into account, such as experience in that building type, their reputation, whether we have worked with them previously, their current capacity, and even who the foreman working on the job will be.”

One builder that has collaborated with Dalman Architects over the last 25 years is Contract Construction. They are working together on four projects, including refurbishing The George and Elms hotels.

At The George, Contract was selected thanks to their intimate knowledge of the hotel and consistent quality. They enhanced its façade with custom steel made by G & A Harris, added new showers, and created a gym complex.

John Cleary, general manager at Contract Construction, believes the difference between success and failure for their clients is a collaborative approach between the consulting team and the contractor.

“Working closely alongside a quality architectural company like Dalman’s has helped ensure the best outcome for all stakeholders. Quality, time, and financial outcomes are all the winners!”

Contract Construction is also working with Dalman Architects on a new two-storey hospitality building, featuring striking concrete work by Cancast.

“The new restaurant/bar/function centre on Riccarton Road has been turning eyes all year with its precast concrete panelled façade. Even in its early construction phase, it has become a landmark,” Richard says.

As Richard ponders the coming years, he is confident in the hands reshaping the faces of our cities.

“Over my 35 years of architecture, I have found an excellent level of professionalism throughout the construction industry and a strong desire to turn our designs into well-constructed, high-quality buildings.”

Changing face