Invercargill Prison redevelopment

Our Dunedin team completed a three stage redevelopment project at Invercargill Prison over two years from 2014 to 2016.

It was the latest in a series of projects our Dunedin division has undertaken for the Department of Corrections, with all work being carried out while the prison is fully operational and with high muster numbers. Security requirements were stringent and critical. Careful staging, isolation of the construction zones and good communication between the building users and our site team meant that the project ran smoothly from start to finish.

Our contract included assisting with design advice for buildability, budgeting and planning of each stage under an ECI (Early Contractor Involvement) model, which resulted in significant cost savings.

Stage 1 involved the construction three new buildings, a staff facilities building, a forestry building and an AVL suite. All three buildings were completed and handed over on time and very successfully with no impact on prison operations.

Stage 2 involved three new exercise and remand yards, adding new roof structures and covering to five existing exercise yards, three new buildings (a day room, a separates and at risk building with a medical centre) and the conversion of the existing chapel into a programmes building.

Stage 3 involved upgrades and improvements to an existing three-storey building, including seismic strengthening, installation of a new commercial kitchen and dining room, a new service lift, offices and programmes/teaching spaces, commercial laundry and a drug testing unit. We also upgraded the windows, building exterior and mechanical systems, employing BIM for services clash detection to great effect.