Under the Resource Management Act 1991 In the matter of Notices of Requirement to enable the construction, operation and maintenance of the City Rail Link
Between
Auckland Transport Requiring Authority and
Auckland Council Consent Authority
Statement of Evidence of Simon John Ferneyhough
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QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE 1.
My full name is Simon John Ferneyhough.
2.
I am the Sales Director for Nextspace and am the Project Manager for the Nextspace City Rail Link (CRL) Lower Albert Street Construction Sequence Visualisation project.
3.
I have specialised in 3D computer modelling, rendering, simulation and animation for 29 years. I have additional experience in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for city-scale infrastructure management. I have a Bachelor of Architecture from Auckland University, and have practiced as a Registered Architect (now retired). I have held significant roles in many computer simulation and visualisation projects including:
Sunlight Admission Studies for the Auckland District Plan;
Auckland Sky Tower visual impact and shadow studies;
Brightside Hospital visual impact studies;
Waikato Hospital visual impact studies;
Wellington ‘Past, Present, & Future’ city model for the National Library of New Zealand;
4.
Auckland’s Northwest Transformation proposal visualisation for Watercare; and
City Rail Link route visualisation for Auckland Transport. I am familiar with the area that the CRL project covers.
COMPANY EXPERIENCE 5.
Nextspace was formed in 2007 with support from the New Zealand government and 3D technology leader Right Hemisphere (recently acquired by SAP AG). Its aim was to increase the use of the 3D visualisation industry stimulating productivity and economic opportunities for New Zealand.
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6.
In 2011 Nextspace was commissioned by Auckland Council to create the Digital Auckland 3D city model. This model has been used to visualise plans for the future of the urban environment. The model merges data from many sources and is updated by Nextspace from time to time.
7.
Nextspace has previously produced computer models and presentation videos showing the proposed CRL rail route within the Digital Auckland 3D city model for general information purposes only.
8.
Nextspace employs 15 staff in Auckland, many are 3D simulation specialists. For this project Nextspace’s technical lead is Rachel Ryan. Rachel holds a Master of Building Science from Victoria University, Wellington. She has more than 10 years experience in visual simulation for urban design.
SCOPE OF WORK 9.
My evidence is given in support of the Notices of Requirement (NoR) for the construction, maintenance and operation of the City Rail Link (CRL) lodged with the Auckland Council by Auckland Transport.
10.
The project is a 3.4km underground passenger railway (including two tracks and three underground stations) running between Britomart station and the North Auckland Line (NAL) in the vicinity of the existing Mount Eden Station, and an additional 1.4 of modifications to the NAL and local road network.
11.
Auckland Transport has commissioned Nextspace to develop a 3D model visualisation focusing on the portion of the underground railway at Albert Street, between Customs Street West and Swanson Street.
The Lower Albert Street
Construction Sequence Visualisation (the Visualisation) illustrates the scale and sequence of the construction process. 12.
I have produced a DVD video of 3 minutes 9 seconds to be submitted as evidence (Appendix 1). The DVD video includes views of all major stages of construction.
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CODE OF CONDUCT 13.
I have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses as contained in the Environment Court Practice Note (2011), and I agree to comply with it as if this hearing were before the Environment Court. My qualifications as an expert are set out above. I confirm that the issues addressed in this brief of evidence are within my area of expertise. I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions expressed.
COMPUTER MODEL FOR VISUALISATIONS BUILDING THE MODEL 14.
I have generated a three dimensional computer model of the proposed CRL construction works on the portion of the underground railway at Albert Street, between Customs Street West and Swanson Street. The model is based on engineering designs supplied by Auckland Transport, Aurecon Engineers, Beca Engineering Consultancy, and Flow Transportation Specialists.
15.
To build the model I have added the proposed CRL construction details to a three dimensional computer model of Auckland City. The base model is the Digital Auckland city model, previously commissioned by Auckland Council, built using data supplied by Auckland Council. Data used in the model includes:
Contours - Urban (2006/10)
Orthophotography Urban (2010/2011)
Kerblines
LIDAR – Digital Terrain Model points
Building Footprints (Auckland Council Geographic Information System)
Indicative Building Shapes (Auckland Council and Nextspace)
Detailed Building Shapes (sourced from various Architects)
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All data has been loaded and transformed into a single to-scale model. 16.
I have enhanced the model along Albert Street, between Customs Street West and Swanson Street in order to provide context to the CRL project work in this area.
17.
Some buildings have had photographic textures and other details added to indicate the location of landmarks. I have taken photographs of the project location on the 24th and 28th June, 2013. Suitable photographs have been converted to textures and added to building forms.
18.
Some textured buildings have been sourced from Google Earth. These items have been checked for scale before inclusion in the model.
19.
Some construction vehicles have been sourced from the Trimble 3D Warehouse. These items have been checked for scale and accuracy before being included in the model. Construction vehicles are included to indicate scale, function and sequence only; they do not represent actual numbers of on-site vehicles at any specific time. All construction vehicles have been reviewed by Auckland Transport and modified to approximately match proposed vehicles for the project.
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20.
The image below shows the Aurecon long-section sketch overlaid on the Digital Auckland model along the rail alignment, as supplied by Auckland Transport. I have validated the long-section by development of a to-scale computer model based on measurements indicated in the Aurecon documentation (existing ground and proposed excavation spot levels).
21.
At this stage in the CRL project some elements of the construction sequencing and engineering design are not fully defined. Therefore some elements of the model and visualisation videos should be considered indicative only.
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THE VISUALISATION 22.
23.
The Visualisation illustrates the construction process including:
Impact of pre-construction enabling works
Scale of construction
Details of elements of construction
Construction sequencing
Impact on vehicular and pedestrian traffic
This Visualisation has been the subject of four Auckland Transport reviews. At each review representatives from relevant design expert areas (town planning, structural engineering, traffic engineering) have been present. The interactive model of the proposed construction has been prepared in consultation with these experts.
24.
The Visualisation has been built to a level of detail and accuracy as required to illustrate the construction process. Building forms are to scale, but approximate shapes only. The CRL construction works have all been modelled to scale based on initial engineering designs. Material finishes are indicative, based on engineering designs.
25.
The Visualisation illustrates the scale and sequence of the construction process and is not intended to be used for photo-realistic visual impact studies at this time.
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DVD VIDEO 26.
In order to make the Visualisation available for evidence I have recorded the construction sequence steps to DVD. The following images indicate some key steps that have been recorded:
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FURTHER DEVELOPMENT 27.
The interactive three dimensional computer model will be available for on-going enhancements and revisions as more detailed information becomes available.
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METHODOLOGY AND LIMITATIONS VALIDATION OF METHODOLOGY 28.
The methodology used to build the Visualisation is based on established model building and visualisation techniques. I have reviewed the Visualisation and DVD video with key stakeholders and contributors in order to validate the methodology.
SITE VISIT 29.
Nextspace has visited the Albert Street site and photographed the street and surrounding buildings in the project area.
30.
The three dimensional city model of the project location has been compared to the photographs. I have used the photographs to enhance the visual accuracy of the model, as indicated in sample comparisons below (buildings in grey have subsequently been updated with photographic detail in the submitted video).
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CONCLUSION 31.
The CRL Lower Albert Street Construction Sequence Visualisation illustrates the scale and sequence of the construction process for the underground railway based on information supplied by Auckland Transport and their advisors to the best of my ability within the time available.
Simon Ferneyhough 2 July 2013
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APPENDIX 1
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