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Sarjeant Gallery redevelopment: Structural engineer says amazing building is worth saving
By Gaye Batty, Project Director

Combining old with new is a challenge but worth doing, says the lead structural engineer working on the Sarjeant Gallery’s redevelopment.
Philip Yong was on site recently to examine the 100-year-old building, assessing which materials will be required with the right characteristics and strength to support the building.
There are two parts to the redevelopment project – earthquake strengthening and restoration of the existing 1919 building, and also the construction of a new wing behind the Gallery with a linking structure between the two.
The structural engineer is a key component in the building construction process, responsible for the design and physical integrity of the building.
Yong said a challenge is allowing for inter-building movement between the existing building and the new extension. The buildings are very different – the old building is rigid, with massive, stiff and brittle walls, whereas a modern building is more ductile. He used an analogy of a crunchie bar snapping and a moro bar stretching in an earthquake.

Yong has experience with projects of immense scale and complexity, including the design of Nam Cheong station in Kowloon, the massive southern terminus of the KCRC West Rail in Hong Kong. He has also been involved in specialist investigations looking at the long term performance of ageing structures, including the Auckland Harbour Bridge.

He’s been working with the Sarjeant Gallery since 2014. Now into the detailed design phase, Yong and his firm are working to understand the constraints of the project – such as build-ability and preserving the building’s heritage.
“What an amazing building. It’s one of the buildings that’s worth saving, no question about it. This is one of the few amazing heritage buildings in this country,” said Yong.

From his assessment Yong has since instructed more samples of the Sarjeant’s bricks and mortar to be taken from specific points around the building, which will inform the final strengthening design.

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