FINALIST 2023 SCNZ Excellence in Steel Award – Standalone Residential – Kohimarama Home – Berowald Place, Kohimarama.

This project involved the construction of a substantial family home in the popular Auckland suburb of Kohimarama. The complex design required significant concrete foundations and retaining walls which pair well with a steel superstructure to create the living spaces heading up the sloping section. The steel provides strength and ductility to support ceiling and floor diaphragms and the extensive cantilever roof on the top floor of the dwelling.

Black Steel Mobile were contracted to fabricate, deliver and install all steel aspects of the build.

Size and complexity

The size and complexity of this large residential project cannot be overstated. 22.5tonnes of steelwork, only one square corner in the entire design, lengths of up to 15metres, and a small, difficult to access site, meant careful planning and innovation was essential.

The only answer to achieving this design was a significant steel structure which included K-Braces and long spans (up to 13.5metres in length) and partial assembly prior to delivery.

Welding practices

New processes within Black Steel Mobile’s welding and quality assurance programme were developed. In particular, this required a measured and proactive change to how we approach welding and fabrication within the Black Steel workshop. These adjustments included the devising of training protocols such as the in-depth training for completing multiple pass welds and other fabrication techniques.

The lessons learned have been transferred across to Black Steel Mobile’s wider training programme and we have already begun to see benefits from this across the business.

Access

To negate the challenge of the limited access and room on the site, elements of the build were partially pre-assembled before being trucked to the site and lifted into place. Pre-assembly also enabled an efficient, accurate, and speedy engineering sign-off process.