MSC provided the structural and civil design for the 20 hectare ‘Hub’ large-format retail development in Whakatane, developed by Whakatane Super Centre.
Some projects provide more challenges than others. While undertaking the structural and civil design for The Hub, MSC had to overcome a number of obstacles.
Its location on a former Carter Holt timber mill site was just the first. As well as being considered contaminated, the site is beside the Whakatane River and lies in a flood plain. MSC designed a methodology that allowed construction to take place on the contaminated site and then dealt with the very high ground-water tables while working within the approved Resource Consent conditions. MSC prepared a building platform clear of the flood plain, designed the buildings’ foundations to avoid the effects of liquefaction in an earthquake, and designed a new public stormwater infrastructure, including two new pump stations, to drain the 20ha catchment.
The structural design for the large-format retail buildings incorporated precast concrete panels, steel roof frames and a concrete floor slab supported on concrete columns.
The development also included a one kilometre upgrade of State Highway 30 running parallel to the site – which MSC had to plan to Transit New Zealand standards – and two new roundabouts.
“The Hub is now home to some of the biggest stores in the Bay of Plenty," says MSC Director Paul Culley. "It covers 24,000m2 of shopping space and has 900 car parks. Stage one comprised 15 retail units providing 16,000m2 of space; this was followed up by a large (8,000m2) Bunnings Warehouse. Together, they attract shoppers from all over the Bay of Plenty.”
