Cambridge Steel Fabricators' treehouse at Cambridge Stud.
Cambridge Steel Fabricators' treehouse at Cambridge Stud.
A “delightfully quirky” Cambridge treehouse has won big at the annual Excellence in Steel Awards.
Cambridge Steel Fabricators won the under $500,000 category for its work on the treehouse for Cambridge Stud.
It said the structural steel “treehouse for grownups” was designed and engineered to be lifted into an existing stand of mature trees, making maximum use of the landscape while minimising its environmental impact.
The entire structure sits on one, small concrete footing. The central steel supporting column contains hatches to hide all services to the treehouse, including plumbing, sanitation and electrical.
The curve of the staircase is particularly intricate, curving upward and outward from the base to the treehouse level.
The judges said: “The treehouse is a delightfully quirky steel structure that has been beautifully woven into mature trees. It also showcases a very efficient fabrication and erection process.”
Winners of the Steel Construction New Zealand Excellence in Steel Awards were announced in Queenstown, where more than 200 structural steel industry leaders and specialists gathered to celebrate the best of the best at an event that showcases the sector’s commitment to innovation, best practice and collaboration.
This year, 21 finalists were selected from a pool of 32 submissions, which demonstrate the remarkable design and execution possible when steel is used as the primary construction material.
“The high calibre of entries is testament to the industry’s ongoing commitment to raising the bar,” Steel Construction New Zealand chairman David Moore said.
He noted there had been widespread emphasis on best practice amongst structural steel contractors and a drive to adopt global initiatives such as Industry 4.0.
Cambridge Steel Fabricators has triumphed in the annual Steel Construction New Zealand (SCNZ) Excellence in Steel Awards. Photo / Fallon Photography
“Our local industry has also maintained its programme of investment in new cutting-edge plant, machinery and technology. These advances in technology have made it possible to construct highly complex steel structures that were previously out of reach,” Moore said.
“The high standard of projects is also a reflection of the professionalism demonstrated by the fabricators, builders, architects and engineers that collaborate to bring these projects to life.”
Project team for the Cambridge Tree House:
Structural steel contractors & steel modellers, Cambridge Steel Fabricators, Cullen Engineering; Builder, S R Morgan Building; Structural engineer, HFC Structures; Architect, Sumich Chaplin Architects; Quantity surveyor, Cambridge Steel Fabricators.
Cambridge Steel Fabricators crane in their treehouse at Cambridge Stud.
