The Hinaki Bridge, also known as the Eel Trap Bridge, is a 20 metre long

footbridge A footbridge (also a pedestrian bridge, pedestrian overpass, or pedestrian overcrossing) is a bridge designed solely for pedestrians.''Oxford English Dictionary'' While the primary meaning for a bridge is a structure which links "two points at a ...

located in War Memorial Park (off Gifford Avenue),

Mount Roskill Mount Roskill is a suburban area in the city of Auckland, New Zealand. It is named for the volcanic peak Puketāpapa (commonly called "Mount Roskill" in English). Description The suburb, named after the Mount, is located seven kilometres to ...

Auckland Auckland (pronounced ) ( mi, Tāmaki Makaurau) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. The List of New Zealand urban areas by population, most populous urban area in the country and the List of cities in Oceania by po ...

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

. The bridge spans over

Oakley Creek Oakley Creek ( mi, Te Auaunga) is a creek in Auckland, New Zealand. While heavily human-modified (being surrounded for most of its length by suburban development, especially in the upper reaches), it has a number of important ecological feature ...

and is used by cyclists and pedestrians. The culturally enriched architectural footbridge forms part of the wider Dominion Road Upgrade project led by

Auckland Transport Auckland Transport (AT) is the council-controlled organisation (CCO) of Auckland Council responsible for transport projects and services. It was established by section 38 of the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009, and operates under ...

. The design and construction team comprises Beca (bridge architects and engineers), Dempsey Wood (contractor) and Eastbridge (steel fabricators). The concept for the bridge was developed by Beca in close collaboration with six iwi groups, the Puketapapa Local Board and

Auckland Council Auckland Council ( mi, Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau) is the local government council for the Auckland Region in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority that has the responsibilities, duties and powers of a regional council and so is ...

Parks. The bridge is owned by

Background

Beca began the concept stage in May 2014 and led the project through to stakeholder buy-in, detailed design, building consent, through to construction. Beca were responsible for Bridge Architecture, Landscape Design and Engineering for all works associated with the bridge. Strong consultations with Ngati Whatua Orakei, Ngati Tamaoho, Te Akitai Waiohua, Ngati Maru, Ngai Tai ki Tamaki, Ngati Te Ata, Puketapapa Local Board,

and Auckland Parks were prevalent throughout the duration of the project. The steel work for the bridge was fabricated by Eastbridge (located in Napier) between October 2014 and February 2015. Construction began in January 2015 by Dempsey Wood. The bridge was officially opened by a culturally significant dawn blessing attended by all stakeholders on 5 June 2015.

Engineering Design

The bridge is a steel I-girder and timber footbridge. Plan and cross-sectional lateral stability is provided by EA and PFC members. The ''hinaki'' form itself is made of inner hoops and outer hoops. The purpose of using outer hoops only at midspan terminating at balustrade height, is to create a sense of openness and to also contrast the sense of tightness created by the full-height inner and outer hoops at each end of the bridge. The curving lines of the bridge are juxtaposed by a swarm of light and dark grey steel-plated eels, swimming towards the centre of the bridge.

Cultural Significance

The design of the bridge reflects the shape of a traditional double-headed Maori ''hīnaki'' (

eel trap A fish trap is a trap used for fishing. Fish traps include fishing weirs, lobster traps, and some fishing nets such as fyke nets. Traps are culturally almost universal and seem to have been independently invented many times. There are two main ...

). The bridge not only creates a unique user experience and leaves the local community with a bridge it can be proud of, but it also helps educate and share Maori culture with the local and regional communities. The bridge embraces the craftsmanship of traditional Maori weaving patterns for eel traps traditionally used along

and reinterprets this into modern steel fabrication. The pavement surfaces, alignments, pou, lighting and interpretive signages (in both Maori and English), in combination with the bridge, showcases the cultural story of Tuna Roa.

The Story of Tuna Roa

The architectural concept of the bridge is based on the legend of Maui and Tuna Roa

References

{{reflist Bridges in Auckland Transport in Auckland Pedestrian bridges in New Zealand 2010s architecture in New Zealand Transport buildings and structures in the Auckland Region