15-Nov-2016 CONNECTING FUNCTION WITH FORM: LOWER HATEA RIVER CROSSING Lower Hatea River crossing in New Zealand, designed by Knight Architects, is a striking realisation at the centre of Whangarei District Council’s 20 year transportation strategy which is now in its final stages.
The 20-year road improvement project started in 1996 off the back of the 20/20 Transport Plan to address traffic flow through the region and has since delivered on the Porowini Avenue extension, Kamo bypass and the Lower Hatea River Crossing.
Officially named TeMatauāPohe or “The Fishhook of Pohe”, the rolling bascule structure is designed to be recognisable by day and night, providing a positive gateway to the town basin area and as a structure that speaks strongly of the local character and culture of Whangarei.
The project is now the subject of a breath-taking drone film which shows the intricacies of the function and form of this unique structure
Martin Knight, Director of Knight Architects said: "We are bridge specialists but also bridge enthusiasts and having the opportunity to work on a bridge typology that is relatively rare was an exciting and enjoyable challenge. Successful structures reinforce the identity of a place and inspire people to take pride in their location. We learned a lot about long distance communication and innovative methods of designing and we are now bringing the new systems developed within the office for Lower Hatea River Crossing to our other new projects to great effect.”
The concept design for the moveable bridge combined the efficiency of a rolling bascule with a distinctive architectural shape. Function and form, engineering and architecture, are perfectly integrated and completely indivisible in this design. The concept was informed by the appearance of Māori ceremonial fishing hooks and the practice is delighted the bridge has been named TeMatauāPohe.
29-Jul-2013 ** The bridge has won a 2014 Civic Trust Award and a 2014 Architizer A+ Award (jury choice) **
Designed by specialist bridge design consultancy Knight Architects, the spectacular NZ$32m Lower Hatea Crossing was officially opened on 27 July 2013.
The 265m tidal river estuary crossing is a key component in the highway network, designed to reduce congestion in the city centre and improve access to Whangarei Heads and the airport. The opening bridge provides a permanent minimum headroom for river users and a 25m wide lifting section to allow vessels taller than 7.5m to transit the bridge.
The opening mechanism is based on a traditional rolling bascule bridge type, with the structural steel deck supports shaped to provide a distinctive elevation which speaks both of its efficient rolling action and also its cultural context - the curved ‘J’ shape is an interpretation of the fish hook motif that is widely used in Maori culture. The form is designed to be recognisable by day and night, to provide a positive gateway to the town basin area and a structure that speaks strongly of the local character and culture of Whangarei. The bridge has been given the official name Te Matau a Pohe – translated as 'The fishhook of Pohe‘, after the Maori chief who welcomed the first English settlers to Whangarei.
