TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre
Sinclair Knight Merz Ltd

In a field of nine high-quality finalists something special made TelstraClear Pacific stand apart from the rest. The judges were impressed at the way the project’s engineering solved the events centre’s design practicality problems.
The structural design of the Telstra Clear Pacific events centre in Manukau City is a creative solution to a difficult set of requirements. Poor ground conditions posed a challenge; the decision to use a flexible structure did away with expensive piling and saved a great deal of money.

The overall structure has a tricky geometry requiring the designers to think in three dimensions. The structural engineers persuaded the project architects to change the roof geometry so that much of the roof hangs in tension, with consequent
cost savings.

The building has a spine truss running its entire length. The architect insisted that the top chord should be of timber, essentially incompatible with the steel of the rest. The materials are combined creatively so that the purely axial loads in the top chord are taken by a thin steel section, clad in timber sections to ensure the stability of the steel section. The timber sections are designed so that they can be replaced individually without affecting the stability of the whole.

Overall, the structure is an elegant and remarkably cost-effective solution.

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