HB Opera House wins national award

HB Opera House wins national award

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule was on hand to see the Hawke’s Bay Opera House win a Merit award at the 2009 Association of Consulting Engineers of New Zealand Awards of Excellence competition recently.

Entered by LHTDesign, consulting engineers based in Hastings, the award was an acknowledgement by judges that the project showed a technical excellence of a very high standard. It represented a superior service to the client, Hastings District Council, judges said with LHTDesign commended for its practical approach and dedication to the five year project.

Completed in 2007, the $13M Hawke’s Bay Opera House features the design and construction of New Zealand’s first large-scale retractable roof, the result of expertise and contributions from many parties. LHTDesign’s role was to interpret the architect’s brief, the Council’s expectation, and working within the limitations of the existing colonnades, to provide the unique structural design.

In addition to its involvement in the retractable roof, LHTDesign provided structural and fire engineering services for strengthening the 95 year old Hastings Municipal theatre, and developing the old Quinney’s building and car yard into the new cultural precinct for the city.

In 2008, the Opera House won an Excellence Award in the Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) awards for local firm Patton Engineering, who was responsible for fabricating the steel trusses supporting the retractable canvas roof.

ENDS

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