The former Waitakere City had a reputation for developing 'art bridges' over some of its many beautiful streams.
The Rewarewa Footbridge in New Lynn was one of the earliest aesthetic bridges, built in 1997. It received a Judges Citation at Creative New Zealand's Creative Places Awards in July 1999.
The footbridge is a work of art turned, by engineers, into a physical reality. It is simultaneously beautiful and utilitarian, spanning a creek and enhancing its environment.
The design concept sprang from the creek name, Rewarewa. The bridge form is based on the twisted triangular canoe form and of the Rewarewa seedpod. The flower provided the motifs for balusters, light standards, and lights. The strong visual impact of the bridge enhances the creek experience, providing views of the creek. It has resulted in a planting programme of Rewarewa trees and other native species along the adjacent banks. It has also focused attention on the stream, not as a backwater, but a valuable urban feature.
The curved nature of the bridge required special engineering skills. One interesting aspect was the manual bending of the 200mm diameter main truss. This was achieved by applying controlled heating to the tubes in specific places so that expansion and contraction forced bends in the tubes.
Whereas before, residents were reluctant to use the previous footbridge located deep in the stream gully, the Rewarewa Footbridge provides a safe and accessible link between the New Lynn retail centre and a residential area.
The cache is a 100ml pill bottle tucked under the end of the bridge on the lightstand side. Please ensure it is replaced exactly as hidden.