AUCKLAND MAKES A POINT WITH NEW SCULPTURAL BRIDGE
09 Oct 2013
Architects Warren and Mahoney have provided conceptual ideas for a new “Point Resolution Bridge”, connecting Auckland's waterfront to a prominent headland.
Auckland Council invited New Zealand architects Warren and Mahoney to provide conceptual ideas for a new “Point Resolution Bridge”, due to replacement an existing pedestrian bridge connecting Auckland's waterfront to a prominent headland. The existing bridge built in the 1930s has suffered severe structural fatigue and needs to be raised to correspond with the imminent electrification of Auckland's rail network.
The council, recognising the importance of the location, both in terms of its prominence along the waterfront and its proximity to the historic salt water Parnell Baths, wanted something sculptural, elegant and iconic.
The council has asked that due to its historic location, the Point Resolution Bridge needed to be sculptural, elegant and iconic. Warren and Mahoney based their design on three primary elements:
- A simple but sculpted and hull-like concrete deck would extend from the headland and protrude out into the harbour. This would in turn be cradled by a highly expressive steel armature or exoskeleton which sinuously referenced the language of the baths beyond. A simple cantilevered glass balustrade, co-planar with the concrete deck would provide barrier protection.
- The steel supporting the deck was designed to pay homage to the original bridge by echoing its three arches. The arches begin under the deck as diamond shaped columns which bifurcate to form the arches.
- The deck is formed with three separate twin-celled post tensioned precast concrete sections joined with in-situ stitches. The deck is supported by the steel armature through discrete pin connections.
Artist Henriata Nicholas developed a pungarungaru (water ripple) pattern over the concrete and glass surfaces. It was important that the patterning was delicately completed in a contemporary manner to ensure it would not be read as a patronising cultural reference. To ensure consistency of the concrete colour, a pigmented stain was applied.
Warren & Mahoney were also the architects for the newest terminal at Wellington International Airport, which topped the transport category at the 2011 Inside awards.
