Engineering - Dunning Thornton Consultants

Cave Troll, Civic Square

Wellington engineers Dunning Thornton first gained national attention in 1993 when they moved the 3000-tonne Museum Hotel from the Te Papa site to one across the road. Many notable projects have followed, including the two-storey base-isolated Accident and Emergency Department at Wellington Hospital, Westpac Stadium, strengthening and renovation of the Dominion Museum building at Massey University, and the earthquake strengthening of the Embassy Theatre before it hosted the world premiere of The Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King.

"That work involved construction of an intermediate floor through the theatre and supporting walls behind the shops at the front and one end of the building, which took the Embassy's structural strength from 30 percent with the current to somewhere between 90 and 100 percent without any obvious visual changes" says Adam Thornton.

Fell Beast, Embassy Theatre

Dunning Thornton Consultants specialise in structural engineering and associated civil engineering work, as well as project and construction planning and support. They have 28 staff and have done extensive work in South East Asia. Other Wellington projects include Wellington Hospital, refurbishment of the Odlins building for the New Zealand Stock Exchange and the design of the frames and mountings for the Lord of the Rings creatures that appeared on Wellington buildings.

Department Details:
Marketing