Kotuitui Whitinga Footbridge
“It was a privilege to project manage the construction of the award winning Kotuitui Whitinga Footbridge in Whangārei. Built by Whangarei District Council, the bridge was the final link needed to complete the Hatea Loop walkway in central Whangārei. We enjoyed working with the client and main contractor to create a functional architectural structure that fits perfectly with the surrounding Hatea Loop area.”
The bridge’s curves are designed to represent the meandering shape of the Hatea River, its sloped piles and masts resemble the traditional Māori digging stick or kō. Stainless steel screens on the sides of the footbridge represent a traditional net used for whitebaiting while the vertical form of the upstream screen mirrors the landscape of the surrounding hills.
The Scope team managed the design build contract, working closely with Whangārei District Council and the Northland-based main contractor. We conducted early contractor involvement, then managed the project through the design phases to completion. As an architectural build, the bridge’s visual and functional design required a complex understanding of construction by all parties. Raked piles, a cantilevered walkway raising to a level carousel platform and the bridge curves all contribute to the iconic Whangārei feature. Kotuitui Whitinga won the Civil Contractors of New Zealand Construction Excellence Award for projects between $0.5M and $5M in 2015.
“This is to acknowledge the excellent Project Management delivered by Griffiths and Associates (T/A Scope) for construction of the opening bridge referred to as Kotuitui Whitinga over the Waiarohia stream. This project was not only the creation of a bridge but the creation of a piece of art that was a statement about the Māori Culture of the area. Trevor was Whāngarei District Council's Project Manager and throughout the entire Project added substantial value in ensuring that the vision for this bridge was delivered. As Council's representative, Trevor ensured all health and safety requirements were being met and it is a credit to all involved in this project that there were no injuries through the construction period. The final result is a testament to his outstanding Project Management for which he can be very proud.
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Service detail
Early Contractor Involvement (ECI)
Manage ECI on behalf of Whangarei District Council.
Determine the scope
Work through a high level scope of works to guide the project through the initial planning phases.
Project Management
Work closely with the main contractor and the client, Whangārei District Council.
Design & Build
Manage the contract through design stages to construction completion.
Contract Management
Establishing and managing the contract between the client and main contractor.
Quantity Surveying
Cost estimation and detailed cost reporting throughout the project.
Related project partnerships
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Te Matau ā Pohe
Te Matau ā Pohe has won a number of international and national awards for excellence in design and construction.
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Hundertwasser Art Centre – Whangārei
A once in a lifetime community project that was extremely complex from both a technical and management point of view.
Related people
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Trevor Griffiths
Senior Project ManagerA known industry leader and the recipient of multiple industry recognition awards, Trevor was inducted as a New Zealand Institute of Building ...
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Marilyn Hardham
Assistant Project ManagerMarilyn takes great care in understanding the best approach to collaborating with each client, employing our processes, and driving the team t...
