Hawthorn Geddes engineers & architects ltd

06/07/2026

It’s fascinating to follow Rocket Lab’s continued growth and innovation.

Hawthorn Geddes was proud to provide the geotechnical and civil engineering expertise for the construction of the stable platform supporting this 33-metre-tall testing tower.

Creating the platform required cutting into a steep hillside, which introduced slope stability challenges that needed to be carefully managed.

The solution involved a combination of stormwater runoff control, groundwater management, and the construction of a rock buttress to stabilise the slope.

We also worked closely with the structural engineering team to design the driven steel pile foundations, ensuring the tower had a robust and reliable support system.

Great to see this impressive facility contributing to Rocket Lab’s ongoing success.

23/06/2026

There are a couple of great photos of the slip remedial works at the Whangarei Quarry Gardens in this post from Whangarei District Council.

Hawthorn Geddes engineers & architects ltd are proud to have been a part of the team getting this amazing community asset back into shape after Cyclone Gabrielle.

🌿 Starting with the initial slip assessment and monitoring to establish residual risk and ensure safe access around the gardens.

🌿 Continued monitoring of the slips.

🌿 Design of 2 new access bridges to replace damaged bridges, comprising of recycled bridge members.

🌿 Design of the concrete wall you can see in these photos to catch any slip debris.

🌿 Stormwater management systems as shown in these photos including the rock revetment.

The gardens are looking fantastic.

The Quarry Gardens are looking fab after works to reinstate paths and waterways. The upgrades not only repair damage from the slips but also help safeguard these world-class gardens for years to come.

Whangarei Urban Ward Councillor Marie Olsen, who is also a member of the Whangārei Quarry Gardens Trust Board, was happy to see the works completed.

“The Quarry Gardens are an important community asset and a truly special place for Whangārei,” she said.

“An unbelievable amount of community effort has gone into making this place what it is today, and I know everyone is very happy to have the slip-remediation work completed and full access restored.”

Read more:
https://www.wdc.govt.nz/Whats-new/News-and-notices/Quarry-Gardens-20260612

16/06/2026

Great to see progress on the new Mangawhai Medical Centre, with steel now being erected.
Hawthorn Geddes has been involved on this project since 2017 as lead designer, providing architectural, structural, civil, and geotechnical engineering services.
A big congratulations to Wellsford Medical Services for bringing this much-needed facility to life for the Mangawhai community. This is an exciting step toward improved healthcare access for the area.

03/06/2026

From Green to Gold ✅🥇
A big step up from last year and a great result for our team.
It’s a reflection of the consistent effort that goes into keeping our health & safety standards strong across all projects.
Well done team 👏

30/04/2026

It’s great to see the Whangārei Municipal Building reopening after the fire and subsequent refurbishment and seismic strengthening works.

Hawthorn Geddes was proud to be involved as the peer reviewer for the seismic design, working closely with RSEng, the lead structural engineers, from the early concept stage right through to completion.

Having the peer reviewer involved early allowed key design decisions to be tested, refined, and agreed collaboratively. This helped ensure a smooth design process and a robust outcome, with fewer surprises later on.

Projects like this show how early collaboration between designers and reviewers leads to better, safer buildings for our community.

Well done to everyone involved in the refurbishment of this important civic building for the future.