Signage Structures
If you where under the misunderstanding structural engineers were involved only with beam and retaining walls… think again :)
Next time you visit your local bank or shopping centre odds are we’ve been involved with guiding you there!
Markplan have completed a large number of sign structures for many of the major brands that we see around us daily. These include high level/low level building signage, pylon signs, illuminated, flexi-face signs of all shapes and sizes.
Specific analysis is required for structures of this nature by the New Zealand building code due to their exposed nature and risk of harm to the public.
Glendowie House - Stevens Lawson
A previous feature project on our web site, this new home for John and Anne Heise was recently a finalist in the Home Magazine 15
th Annual Home of the Year Awards.
A big thank you to John Grieve in our office, who was the principal design engineer and also undertook most of the construction drawings and construction observation required by the building consent. John did a superb job.
Both the Architects (Stevens Lawson) and the Clients were a delight to work with, and everyone involved should feel rightfully proud of the home which has resulted.
Thank you also to John and Anne Heise for inviting us to the awards night, which was a celebration of wonderful architecture which we at Markplan are no strangers to. Thanks also to Gary, Nicholas and the team at Stevens Lawson who create these wonderful structures for us to engineer. We love the Challenge!
Click
HERE for a detailed stage by stage commentary.
North Shore Foreshore Sewer
Markplan take great pride in the work that we carry out in relation to key infrastructure assets in the Auckland Region. In this example we highlight the work we have been carrying out for several years in relation to the upgrade of a key trunk sewer network that runs along the East Coast Bays foreshore.
The trunk sewers are concrete encased, and inside this concrete encasement are two of the North Shores largest trunk sewers threatened by erosion caused by wave action. The consequences of failure are obvious and the concrete encasement needs remedial work to ensure protection from storm damage is provided.
The existing 50 year old sewers were encased in a new concrete wave energy dissipation structure which was formed using sprayed concrete to match the shape and colour of the cliffs immediately behind the sewer. The concrete used comprised high-strength (50MPa) steel fibre reinforced with silica fume also used in the mix design. In addition, colour additives, retardants and rapid hardening agents were used depending on the sewer location and “work windows” between tides.
We think the final solution is elegant, robust and blends in exceptionally well with the surrounding environment. All parties involved in the design, implementation and construction have done a wonderful job over the years and Markplan has thoroughly enjoyed being a key part of the process.
You have the opportunity to see the completed works, although you may not be able to pick it due to the clever way the concrete blends into the environment. If you feel like exploring, take a look at information provided by North Shore City Council about a walking route near the foreshore sewer you can take along the East Coast Bays – in some areas you may be walking on the foreshore sewer itself. Enjoy your exploring – start at
http://www.northshorecity.govt.nz/LeisureAndCulture/ParksWalksAndPlay/Walkways/Documents/Te-Araroa-walkway-map.pdf
REVIT - Structural Drafting
Markplan draw the majority of medium to large projects in
Autodesk Revit Structure. This is a modelling software package which uses 3-dimensional building models to create both 3D and conventional 2D drawings.
There are many benefits from modelling projects in this way. Fundamentally it allows us to understand the geometry of the building better at an early stage of the project. This helps to identify how geometry affects overall structural design choices and to resolve structural details.
For refurbishment projects’, modelling the existing structure enables the relationship between the new and the existing to be clearly illustrated, the work can also be drawn in construction phases. This allows the actual building process to be understood in more detail and highlights the requirements for temporary works or particular structural sequences
All drawings are created dynamically as the model is being developed. This means that when a change is made the consequences of that change are automatically coordinated through all the drawings.
At Markplan we have a small but like-minded team of proficient Revit users who enjoy the day to day challenges that come with integrating complex structures into Revit. It makes the design process easier, more intuitive and ultimately helps us produce better structural solutions.
Engineering in the Pacific
Markplan carry out a diverse range of both Civil and Structural Engineering design in terms of scale, complexity, client base and of course location. In this section we are providing you with snapshots from some of our many projects that we have completed throughout the Pacific Islands including Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, Niue and the Cook Islands.
We maintain very close and valued working relationships with our local partners on the islands which give us a sound knowledge on the local building practices, processes and construction techniques. Without compromising design we are then able to offer design and construction solutions that are well received and deliver buildings of the highest quality.
Our work in the Pacific is not dissimilar to the range expected here in New Zealand and includes any combination of the following:
Residential dwellings - from a single beam to a full service architecturally designed home.
Commercial buildings of all construction types including steel portals, insitu concrete shear walls, concrete frames and masonry construction.
Industrial buildings again covering all construction types and materials.
Retail buildings such as large shopping malls, supermarkets and banks are among the examples that we have been involved with that are required to cope with the ever expanding communities in the Pacific.
Civil Infrastructure including large signage, retaining structures of all types for soil & water, wharf & marine structures etc.
Click
HERE for more photos from the Pacific
Sanders Reserve
Markplan have been delighted to work alongside Jasmax Architects and Teak Construction during the design/build process of the development of a new family friendly outdoor recreation facilities at Sanders Reserve, Paremoremo, in the north west of Auckland city.
When completed the facilities will consist of mountain bike trails, equestrian trails, walking trails, off leash dog exercise area, and a pedestrian access boat ramp for kayaking activities. The first stages of this project have included the development of the mountain bike trails (which the Auckland Council (formerly North Shore City Council) have carried out under a separate contract), the visitor centre, and the associated entranceway and car parking facilities.
Markplan has provided structural engineering design for the visitor centre, which involved complex structural steel design and fabrication due to many different angles all needing to fit together. We also provided Civil engineering design for the roading, carpark and parking areas, including stormwater management design incorporating swales and planted filter strips.
The park is still closed for construction, and we look forward to the opening of the park for public use. The finishing touches are being applied by the Council, and the facility will be a fantastic asset to the city.
Our Response to Christchurch
In his capacity as a structural engineer Mark Smith volunteered a week of his time in the days shortly after the February earthquake in Christchurch. This proved to be life changing event for many including all those who volunteered. Mark was involved in several civil defence coordinated operations in the week following the quake including “project CBD”, “Project Arterial”, “Project Facilitate” and “Critical Buildings” all of whom were aimed at the staged opening the CBD to the public.
After returning Mark has delivered three very different talks on his experiences, one to the Markplan Team, a second to engineering peers and friends and a third to a small rural community north of Auckland who were interested in the events, how to be more prepared for them, and how they may be able to assist the people directly affected by the quake.
Mark has also recently attended the three day 9th Pacific Conference on Earthquake Engineering during which the recent events in Christchurch were an important theme as were those in Japan, Chile and Haiti. The conference also focused on the advances in seismic design, research and the social impacts of these events on the communities impacted by them.
Much has been learnt by all of this and a focus of Markplan Consulting in the coming years will be the seismic retrofitting and upgrade of existing buildings and improving further on our already high level of specialist knowledge to ensure we offer cutting edge retrofit designs for older buildings.
MILLIONAIRES’ NIGHT OUT - 18 June 2011
Was it the lure of a mid-year Christmas dinner, or the chance to dress up like millionaires, or was it really just the smell of MONEY! Markplan team and partners had a “Millionaires’ Night Out”, when Don Landsbergen’s home was turned into a Casino for high rollers by the team at Las Vegas Functions. Roulette and Blackjack tables were set up in an authentic replication of a Casino room for high rollers. Three croupiers facilitated the slick card dealing, distribution of chips, and lessons on how to play these mysterious games. (Certain team members feigned ignorance, but by the end of the night, we all knew this wasn’t their first time in a casino!).
The dress code was “Millionaire’s attire”, so friends, family and op shops were scoured for bling and baubles, plus the odd Hugh Heffner silk robe and luxury beach resort attire with the obligatory gold chains on hairy chests. It only took a few games before competitive spirits came to the fore and, fake money or not, everyone was out to win, raking in the chips, gloating over winnings or cursing at ruinous losses. Prizes were awarded for the biggest loser, the highest winner, and of course the best dressed.
The Senior Engineering team were the ones that came out on top – had they done some calculations beforehand? There are some scores to be settled after this night, so a revenge match will have to be scheduled in the near future so the Markplan team who have gone broke can recoup and those crafty Engineers can be frisked beforehand for the presence of calculators and bogus cards in pockets!
