Spanning Ormiston (Auckland) Traditional Cache

Ormiston Road Bridge, a gateway to Flat Bush in South Auckland, New Zealand was designed by Moller Architects that collaborate with Beca. A comprehensive town centre landscape plan creates a new centre within Manakau City and Ormiston Road joins this main axis and arrival point. The brief defined a need to span an existing stream and landscaped park, together with the need for four lanes of traffic plus pedestrian access, all to meet transit requirements.

A cable-stayed bridge spanning 80m provided an appropriate conceptual idea which could touch the ground lightly, having two angled tower pylons each 45 metres high which could then support two 2-lane carriageways and footpaths. Thus, a void could be created to allow light into the park below and avoid a large dark ‘footprint’. Construction is concrete pylons and deck, steel cable supports, stainless steel components and ‘beacons’ at the pylon tops to provide a reference point, particularly at night, when the structural system is celebrated with a comprehensive lighting system.

Cache is a eclipse tin with log book only. Please bring your own pen.