To ensure that galleries from around the world would continue to loan artworks and exhibitions to the Christchurch Art Gallery after the 2011 earthquake, restoring the Gallery with 'gold-standard' engineering was a must.
Last year, Harrison Grierson, an engineering and design consultancy with over 300 staff, was commissioned to workwith Uretek Ground Engineering to provide structural engineering and building services advice during the tender and remedial work process for the Gallery. This involved assessing the existing structure and assisting in developing a suitable lifting and monitoring strategy to relieve the stresses that had built up in the basement slabs.
The Gallery is part of the explosion of work on the Christchurch rebuild which has seen Harrison Grierson Christchurch staff numbers grow over the past 18 months,.
"There's heavy demand for the highest level engineering expertise, which has been challenging to accommodate," says Harrison Grierson's Managing Director, Glen Cornelius. "We've been fortunate to recruit several internationally recognised specialists whose levels of technical expertise and large-scale offshore projects make them an important resource for the whole country."
Harrison Grierson is also experiencing demand for its services in Auckland, Tauranga and Wellington, particularly in the urban development and water sectors. Engineers and designers are sought in all four centres.
Last month Harrison Grierson launched a new visual identity following two years of significant change. The new image reflects the transformation the company has undergone. Glen Cornelius describes Harrison Grierson today as "a forward thinking company, engineering tomorrow".
