Suter Art Gallery Redevelopment

CLIENT BRIEF/PROJECT CHALLENGES

The Bishop Suter Trust is a Nelson City Council-controlled organisation. Project governance for the redevelopment of the gallery was by a team with representatives from both the Council and the Trust.

In the plan for the redevelopment, the original historic Suter Art Gallery, the oldest operating art gallery in New Zealand, was retained along with the movie theatre. All the galleries were to be replaced with state-of-the-art facilities that could display world class exhibitions. This required an extensive and dedicated air conditioning system. In addition, the neighbouring Queen's Gardens and Albion Square Historic Reserve had to be protected from the impact of construction.

Nelson City Council also specified that the total project budget was limited to NZ$12m, and must include professional fees, construction cost, decanting and re-establishment and consenting costs.

OUR SOLUTION

WSP used a risk-based project management approach, which meant we compiled a risk register and associated cost estimates during the design phase. This was reviewed on a monthly basis in the Project Control Group (PCG) meetings. Early in the project, the client put together a list of requirements and a ‘wish list’ and confirmed that the limited budget could not be extended. WSP held regular design progress meetings and weekly construction meetings to identify any issues or budget concerns early and agree on solutions.

WSP tracked variation cost as the project progressed, and as risks reduced, the associated budget could be re-applied to implement items of the ‘wish list’. Decisions to do so where taken at PCG level and implemented by the project manager.

OUTCOME/CLIENT BENEFITS

The project was delivered within a tight budget. The risk-based project management approach meant many of the ‘wishlist’ items were successfully implemented. This provided the Suter Trust with a superior starting position for the facility operations. As a result of the redevelopment, the facility is fully accessible with most spaces on a single level.

LIST OF PRIMARY SERVICES

• Project management
• Contract management
• Tendering for main contractor
• Fit-out design, management and procurement
• Stormwater design (rainwater retention gardens)
• Transport planning
• Fire evacuation scheme
• Building compliance (BWOF)
• Hazardous materials management plan
• Longterm maintenance plan
• Structural engineering for landscape design

The Suter Art Gallery redevelopment was on a site with a triangular layout. The two retained buildings were on the most accessible long side of the triangle opposite the Queens Gardens, an area of heritage importance, including protected trees between the Suter and the Gardens. The other long side was bordered by an archaeological heritage site that could not be disturbed. Construction staging and methodology had to be carefully  considered to make sure construction access to all areas was available.

In practice, this meant demolition was carried out from the long edge of the triangle to the point, with construction starting at the point and working out. The art gallery building also needed repiling as part of the programme of seismic strengthening. Access to the underfloor space was limited and risked damage to the gallery floor. The construction team came up with a method to lift the whole floor in one piece to truss level, giving underfloor access to a small digger to drill and replace the piles. At the same time the ‘flying’ floor served as a working platform to refurbish the trusses and ceiling space, before being lowered down in its original position.

The foyer includes seven columns with a pou on each column representing each of the local iwi.

The Suter Art Gallery redevelopment has won many awards, including:

• 2017 NZIA Local Awards: Public Architecture, Heritage Architecture, People's Choice & Resene Colour
• 2017 Registered Master Builders Awards: Civic Gold Award, National Value Award Winner $5-$15 Million & Civic National Category Winner Award
• 2017 NZ Museum Awards: Museum Project Excellence Award Winner