Delivering Quality Public Housing in Upper Hutt

Kirk Roberts Consulting provided structural engineering services for the 14–28 Rimutaka Street Kāinga Ora development in Trentham, Upper Hutt. Delivered through Kāinga Ora’s Housing Delivery System (HDS), the project comprises 20 new public homes, including a mix of two, three and four-bedroom typologies designed to meet the growing demand for quality housing in the Wellington region.

Our involvement extended from structural design through to construction completion, working closely with the wider consultant team to deliver practical, buildable engineering solutions that supported an efficient construction programme.

Coordinated Structural Design

Working alongside the architectural, civil and landscape design teams, Kirk Roberts developed the structural design and documentation required to support building consent and construction.

Our scope included foundation and slab design, structural bracing systems, services coordination and construction documentation, ensuring the structural design integrated seamlessly with the wider project requirements while supporting the repeatable housing typologies used throughout the development.

Supporting Construction On Site

Throughout construction, our engineers provided construction monitoring and responded to site queries to ensure the works remained consistent with the approved structural design.

During one site inspection, several structural connections were identified as differing from the approved drawings. By working directly with the site manager, our team quickly assessed the situation, provided practical engineering advice and confirmed the required corrective measures to maintain compliance with the structural design.

A further site modification required a local section of the foundation edge to be adjusted to achieve the required drainage fall. This resulted in a short length of reinforcement being removed. Kirk Roberts promptly developed an engineered repair solution that restored the structural integrity of the foundation while accommodating the revised drainage layout, allowing construction to continue with minimal disruption.

Practical Engineering Through Every Stage

Projects such as Rimutaka Street demonstrate the importance of maintaining close collaboration between designers and contractors throughout construction. By combining practical structural engineering with responsive site support, Kirk Roberts helped deliver a coordinated outcome that met both the project’s quality requirements and construction programme.

Project Highlights

• 20 Kāinga Ora public homes
• Mix of two, three and four-bedroom typologies
• Structural engineering from design through to construction completion
• Coordinated multidisciplinary design
• Construction monitoring and responsive site support