Works carried out by Ceres New Zealand and March Construction commenced in May 2020 with the demolition of the old buildings and structures on the Cumberland and Castle Street block. After clearing the site, piling required for the foundations of the Outpatient Building got underway in June 2022.
“It’s really exciting to see these milestones being reached. 78 piles were inserted by *Hammeroid during this part of the project to an average depth of 19m, with the deepest pile reaching 35m below ground level as the building is situated on the old foreshore. The building is well anchored and significant testing has taken place to ensure it meets earthquake safety standards,” says Monique Fouwler, Director – Delivery, Infrastructure and Investment, Te Whatu Ora.
The next phase is the foundation works managed by main contractor Southbase.
“The piles are being connected together by concrete ground beams laid horizontally in trenches, forming a grid which will then have a giant concrete pad poured over the top.
Some people have already noticed the 180-tonne fly jib crane that is on site helping with this work.”
“The finished level of the foundations has been chosen to rematch the original concrete slab, The incorporation with the historical slab provides a safer working surface during construction and retaining it has also minimised construction waste and ground disturbance.
“By mid-year the build will start becoming visible on the city’s skyline as the vertical steel columns that support the frame of the building will be lifted into place. Many of you will remember ‘Stretch’, the giant crane that assisted with demolition on the Cadbury site last year, and he’ll be coming back to lift beams that will be 28 metres tall on average – that’s pretty much the equivalent of 5 giraffes stacked on top of each other! (The average giraffe being about 6 metres tall).
“We are on track to reach our practical completion date of late 2025 for the Outpatients Building and we expect all clinical services will be moved in to this modern fit-for-purpose building at the start of 2026,” says Monique Fouwler.
The Outpatients Building will be around 15,000 sqm in size. The project is targeting a five Green Star sustainability rating meaning that the design and product specifications for the build are low emission building materials and include ‘green’ steel and concrete produced in decarbonised environments. The New Dunedin Hospital project is being co-designed with Aukaha and mana whenua.
Enabling works on the Inpatients building started in January with diggers preparing the ground ready for foundation piling early next year when Hammeroid will return. This building is expected to be completed in 2029.
Note: *Hammeroid was the name chosen in an Otago Daily Times competition to name the pile driver machine.
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