On the corners of Tristram and Collingwood Streets in the centre of Hamilton City, you will find Amohia Ake (formerly ‘Project Hauata’); a Tainui Group Holdings development and the new home to Waikato’s 800 Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) staff.

Amohia Ake is a 9,900m2 office building, and the outcome of collaboration between Waikato-Tainui’s commercial entity, Tainui Group Holdings (TGH), and ACC, to build a new office for Waikato ACC staff.

Designed by Warren and Mahoney, the four-story, three-pavillion office has consolidated ACC’s three existing Waikato premises into one location.

Hawkins won both the structural and fit-out stages of Project Hauata, which were tendered separately. Hawkins was engaged to undertake ECI services. This included early trade letting to de-risk the construction programme and secure critical trade elements. Key aspects of the early works included selecting the preferred piling solution, façade and structural steel procurement.

Project Hauata was used as a vehicle to increase social procurement initiatives and engagement of Maaori and Pasifikaowned businesses. Hawkins developed a procurement model and reporting tool to drive the engagement of iwi contractors on the project and assist with the development and training of individuals within these businesses.

Hawkins’ procurement model enabled TGH to select iwi contractors who were not necessarily the most competitive. Maaori and Pasific Island businesses made up around 15% of the subcontractors on site.

Hawkins worked collaboratively with others on the project, having regular workshops to plan complicated works such as those required for seismic movement (sliding hinge joints and BRB’s – Buckling Restraint Braces). Hawkins also utilised Building Information Management (BIM), which saw speed and efficiency gains.

Whilst COVID-19 was a testing time, Hawkins responded to this by devising detailed procurement item schedules for long-lead time materials; leaving nothing to chance.

The project was completed in April 2023. The environmentally sensitive design is constructed to New Zealand’s current sustainability, seismic, and environmental standards and meets a four-star rating (excellent performance) under NABERSNZ, the system for rating the energy efficiency of office buildings.