Stunning Addition to City Campus - Rooflink Magazine

Five years ago, a challenge from some of the country’s leading business people, saw the University of Auckland embark on a $110 million project to develop a world class business school for its research and teaching programmes.

Industry leaders had good reasons for urging the creation of a business school to enhance New Zealand’s competitiveness and its ability to create wealth and prosperity. Well educated business managers and executives required better learning facilities in a centralised location, replacing the current facilities of the school which occupy eight different sites on the university’s city campus.

A purpose built, seven-level, 75,000 square metre building on the corner of Grafton Road and Wynyard Street is the focal point of the project for the world class business school that is due for completion late in 2008.

Design of the University of Auckland Business School is by FJMT & Archimedia with Fletcher Construction the main contractor. FJMT & Archimedia won a competition run by the University which it won ahead of four of Australasia's best architectural practices.

Dream Job
RANZ member, Mohan Roofing Services Ltd successfully tendered for the waterproofing of this distinctive building which is now being progressively occupied by students from the start of the first semester this year as some of the lecture theatres and other facilities became available.

Principal Brian Mohan emphasized the rarity of landing a 12 month continuous contract to install waterproofing and unashamedly describes the business school as a "dream job", albeit that is the biggest project undertaken by Albany based Mohan Roofing Services.

"We have worked in 500 square metre block sections, each one flood tested when the torch on membrane was completed and before the tillers started. Access is always a problem as this structure is so complex so we've had to plan carefully for the various sequences of work required. I've had three installers on site all the way through".

The Business School project has involved installation of torch on membrane over a total area of 27,000sq m along with guttering and temporary waterproofing of stairs, gardens, planters and walls.

Glass Features
Before detailing the waterproofing it is important to briefly describe the design of the school which features a series of layered, sinuous blades which together with a combination of panellised metal, timber and glass characteristics the "spine" of the building with the role of modifying temperature and light to offer considerable savings on running costs. The metal and glass blades open out to the city, the landscape and the harbour – extending beyond the each of the building at each level and providing what is described by the architects as "shafts" for the introduction of filtered natural light and ventilation deep within the interior volumes, and form a distribution spine for the building's active systems".

The main entry to the business school is from Wynyard Street where there will be a large "urban" square including a 700 square metre planter to provide an extensive green area within the main concourse across over which in excess of 7000 students and up to 200 staff are likely to congregate and access once the building is completed.

Concourse Areas
Mohan Roofing Services Ltd commenced work on the site in May 2006 and three installers have been engaged full time all the way through the project which started in the basement where there are four levels providing 1100 car parks.

The major phase of the waterproofing has comprised waterproofing extensive areas of external areas of thoroughfare for the school community to parts of the complex.

Mohan installed 9000m of Nuplex Torch On Soprasun in three 4mm thick layers over fibre reinforced Stealth concrete to a total area of 27,000 square metres. Concrete tiles/pavers have been laid over these areas.

Greening the Campus
Planters in the main square of the business school will feature drought tolerant, shallow rooted plant systems and will enhance the expansive open areas for the benefit of students and providing aesthetic appeal to this focal area.

The planters have been prepared using layers of SopraleneFlam 180 along with a Sopralene Jardin anti root torch on system.

Handrail Details
Additional waterproofing has included guttering, temporary waterproofing of stairs and retaining walls and the use of Bithulhene LM3000 around the many handrail details of the business school concourse.

Says Brian Mohan: "One of the biggest challenges has been the order of sequence of the waterproofing because of the scale of the new complex, says Brian. "It is such a big footprint with extensive work required on three levels".

"Storage logistics were quite complicated with four cranes on the site at one time and then we suddenly had to get $55,000 worth of materials on to the site before removal of the last crane".

Article kindly supplied by Rooflink Magazne and The Roofing Association of New Zealand (MRANZ)