We were tasked with designing a new beacon building and antenna structure on the Monaco peninsula in line with the runway’s centreline to the south of the runway. The new building had to be resilient as it was surrounded by salt water and built on land prone to flooding from the sea.
CLIENT BRIEF/PROJECT CHALLENGES
Nelson Airport is the busiest New Zealand airport without any scheduled international service, with close to 1.2 million people using the terminal annually. As a domestic heavyweight, the airport has had a huge impact on tourism in the region with 2016 figures revealing $295M being spent within a six-month period alone. With ever increasing growth in travellers, Nelson Airport’s expansion plans required Airways to relocate its navigation beacon.
The location of the runway approach beacon was assessed and it was determined that its positioning could be changed. Airways decided that the beacon could be relocated along the centreline of the runway. We were tasked with designing and building a beacon building and associated antenna on land prone to flooding by saltwater whilst navigating the challenges of a live flight path above.
OUR SOLUTION
Close collaboration with Airways, Nelson Airport and a contractor ensured decisions were well informed and made collectively. We conducted the full design for this project and communicated this effectively to the relevant parties. The land where construction was to take place was prone to flooding.
To address this issue, groundwater was displaced with concrete and the beacon was built with a raft and pile foundation. Additionally, the beacon was waterproofed as an added measure of protection. Due to the low level of the flight path, cranes and diggers were operated at night-time during a quieter flight period. This ensured minimal disruption to the airport's operations, and ultimately to the end user of their services.
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