Commercial Development

After the Canterbury Earthquake Sequence, nearly 80% of Christchurch’s CBD building stock was demolished, leaving a severe shortage of commercial office space. Businesses urgently needed new, safe, and resilient buildings.

At Wigram, development potential was strong, the Southern Motorway was under construction, nearby commercial and industrial growth was accelerating, and residential expansion was planned. However, the site posed significant challenges: variable ground conditions due to historic waterways, wetlands nearby, and soils susceptible to liquefaction in future seismic events.

Cook Costello was engaged to provide critical geotechnical and structural engineering inputs, ensuring the project could move forward with confidence. Our work included:

• Ground investigations to identify soil variability and confirm liquefaction risks within the upper 15 m.

• Ground improvement design, enabling the use of shallow foundations while mitigating liquefaction hazards.

• Structural analysis and design to deliver a safe, efficient, and buildable solution.

• On-site supervision, design temporary works and ensure construction met design intent and minimising risks during installation.
  

The resulting commercial development addressed the urgent shortage of office space for local businesses in the post-earthquake recovery period. By combining ground resilience with efficient structural solutions, we helped create a safe and enduring development that supports both local enterprise and Christchurch’s broader regeneration.