Photo credit: New Zealand Winegrowers Inc, Oyster Bay
Birch Hill Vineyard Operational Hub
Delegat Ltd is creating a state-of-the-art operational hub at Birch Hill Vineyard in the Wairau Valley, featuring new facilities and a spray fill station. WSP delivered a comprehensive building services design that overcame remote collaboration and evolving scope challenges, ensuring on-time delivery, cost transparency, and strong client satisfaction.
Project overview
Delegat Ltd is driving forward the development of a cutting-edge operational hub at Birch Hill Vineyard, nestled in the heart of the Wairau Valley. This ambitious initiative features brand-new operations buildings alongside a purpose-built spray fill facility. With architectural and structural engineering designs complete, Delegat sought a comprehensive building services design to elevate the project to the next level.
Client brief
Delegat’s vision and brief to WSP was clear: create an operational hub that seamlessly integrates functionality and innovation, supporting the vineyard’s growth and efficiency. The client required a building services design that would complement the existing architectural and structural plans, ensuring every detail aligned with their operational needs.
Challenges
Tackling this project meant overcoming several unique hurdles:
•Remote Collaboration: The site’s location—46km into the Wairau Valley—demanded inventive solutions for team coordination and stakeholder engagement.
•Evolving Scope: The design scope shifted as the project progressed, requiring flexibility and adaptability from all involved.
•Community Context: Delivering top-tier design services in a semi-isolated, dispersed community called for a tailored approach, relevant to Marlborough.
The initial workshop was a great way to get things moving and engage our vineyard manager.
Client
Client
Solutions
To address these challenges, the team implemented targeted strategies:
•Integrated Expertise: Leveraging the established relationship between the local WSP team in Blenheim and Delegat, the project harnessed both local knowledge and WSP’s national expertise.
•Collaborative Workshops: Interactive design workshops brought together client specialists and the design team, fostering a collaborative environment and ensuring the facility was tailored to Delegat’s operational needs.
•Virtual Connectivity: Used MS Teams to connect WSP teams across Christchurch, Blenheim, and Nelson, enabling real-time collaboration and minimising travel.
•Transparent Delivery: Adopted a time-written approach with a capped fee, ensuring cost transparency and keeping the design programme on track to meet the delivery deadline.
Outcomes
The project delivered clear results and lasting value for Delegat with:
•On-Time Delivery: The detailed design was completed by the end of May 2025, meeting all programme milestones.
•Quality Assurance: Project management adhered strictly to WSP’s Integrated Management System (IMS), with deliverables reviewed and verified by the Project Director.
•Positive Client Feedback: Delegat expressed high confidence in the team’s understanding of their needs, praising the concept design and the proactive, responsive service provided throughout.
•Scalable Approach: The project’s virtual collaboration model offers a blueprint for delivering design services in other semi-isolated communities without the need for extensive travel.
Client testimonial
Delegat shared their thoughts on the project, highlighting our team’s professionalism, communication, and collaborative approach, citing:
•Your team did a great job on this one.
•Kept me up to date on progress without unnecessary comms.
•The initial workshop was a great way to get things moving and engage our vineyard manager.
•Asked for more information when required rather than making assumptions.
.jpg)
