ABOUT US
Our philosophy when it comes to designing buildings has always been to provide the very best service available to our clients and we work hard to achieve that.
Silvester Clark was established in 1979 as OSA. In 2003 Peter Clark and John Silvester formed OSA Silvester Clark, with Scott Miller joining them in 2006 as a company Principal. In July 2006 the company became Silvester Clark. As Silvester Clark grew so did the staff and in 2013 Ignatius Black, Scott Blain and Cameron Jack joined as Principals, with Rick Parker joining as a Principal in 2018 and Waqas Liaqat joining as a Principal in 2020. As the company continued to grow through the successful delivery of projects for its clients, Scott Miller was appointed to the newly created Managing Director position in 2017. We are currently responsible for around $250 million of construction annually.
We have always strived to be at the leading edge of our profession:
- We were the first consulting engineers in NZ to use PC based CAD
- We were the first consulting engineers in NZ to achieve an ISO 9001 accredited quality control system
- We have led the way in the implementation of 3D documentation of structures
Our work covers a wide range of building size and type. Projects include minor house alterations and extensions, to major new buildings and refurbishment projects, using the most recent developments in materials and construction techniques. We have worked on the strengthening and repair of many older buildings and also with some of the country’s leading architects on the design of outstanding modern buildings and fit-outs. We are currently working on small domestic structures as well as multi-storey commercial buildings and large industrial projects. Silvester Clark are also specialists in the design of meat and dairy industry buildings as well as leading the way in commercial high-rise buildings. We are part of a successful team who have successfully delivered the majority of Fonterra’s major turn-key capital projects in the last 15 years. These projects are typically worth in excess of $100 million each.
Silvester Clark have approximately 75 staff members in our offices in Palmerston North, Wellington, Auckland, Hawkes Bay and Christchurch. All staff are encouraged to deal with all members of a project team from the developer to builder, so that outside parties always have access to informed staff. We pride ourselves in providing the most cost effective and aesthetically pleasing solutions for the projects we work on.
COMPANY STRUCTURE & RESOURCES
Our company has a good mix of staff with varying experience. We hold weekly programming meetings that assess workload so that we can allocate resources where required. On a weekly basis we also address new industry issues and the development of new projects.
We use Microstation and Revit as we believe they are the best tools currently available for BIM/CAD.
Projects are allocated to groups of staff including at minimum a Senior Engineer and a BIM Technician. All projects go through a QA system. All correspondence including project models/drawings, are circulated to all members of the group working together on the project. This results in good communication and teamwork with ideas and experiences being passed through the various groups. It also results in flexibility to cope with varying workload and holidays.
Staff
- 6 Principals
- 6 Associates
- 8 Senior Engineers
- 24 Intermediate and Graduate Engineers
- 12 Senior BIM/CAD Technicians
- 8 BIM/CAD Technicians
- 2 Project Managers
- 8 Administration Staff
All engineering staff have engineering degrees and most are members of one or more professional institutions both in New Zealand and Overseas.
We have a policy of taking our junior staff and providing relevant training on a regular basis. Over the years we have taken on cadet draughters on an almost annual basis.
OUR PEOPLE
Scott Miller
Ignatius Black
Scott Blain
Cameron Jack
Rick Parker
Waqas Liaqat
Rachael Glynn
Adane Gebreyohaness
Nitin Edward
Andrew Carr
Eamonn Doherty
Peter Falloon
Jay Auman
3D BIM TECHNOLOGY
Silvester Clark has been using 3D CAD technology for over fifteen years – we were one of the first to use it for production of construction drawings. We use Microstation and Revit as we believe they are the best tools currently available.
BIM
Sharing our building models (BIM) with the other consultants on the design team leads to improved collaboration and better coordination. To facilitate this collaboration our BIM and CAD processes are aligned with national and international standards and best practices and we agree exchange protocols for each project. As each building, client and design team is unique so too our processes are flexible enough to facilitate a smooth running design program.
These technologies enable, rather than replace, communication and collaborative design.
We are always pushing the boundaries of new technology and looking at new ways of providing better services to our clients. We are currently looking at ways of using 3D models to provide even more information for builders and building owners that will help them realise better returns on their investments; for example the use of BIM models in construction and facilities management phases.
3D CAD
3D CAD models are created for our building structures that are then used as the basis for our consent, construction and fabrication drawings. In this way we virtually construct the building in our office so that we can find and solve the problems that are otherwise often not discovered until the building is under construction. This can save precious time and money for our clients.
With 3D CAD, Silvester Clark can provide simple, clear images and drawings of buildings, and building components, which leave the viewer in no doubt as to what he or she is looking at. Greater clarity means reduced likelihood of errors and therefore reduced risk which translates into better pricing from contractors and their subcontractors.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Silvester Clark is an active member and supporter of the community. We try to give back to the community that we work in and that supports us.
In addition to supporting schools and community groups that have an association with our staff members, we have also sponsored or been involved with the following:
- Manawatu Turbos
- Wellington Free Ambulance
- Lions Club NZ
- Autism New Zealand
- Fostering Kids New Zealand
- Special Children’s Christmas Party
- The Going Bananas Show
- Cricket Wellington
“Buildability is always important to us as building contractors and we have found Silvester Clark to design with this in mind.”
“Again I must compliment your firm for the professionalism that was displayed in dealing with the Hutt City Council and their consultants to bring this matter to a very successful conclusion.”
“We found the entire process painless. Silvester Clark corresponded directly with WCC on our behalf. We now have a building that is not on the earthquake prone register. This has added value to our property.”
“This is good news! Thanks for your help in having our property assessed as being more that 33% NBS. My fellow unit owners and myself appreciate your efforts.”
“For a total costs of around $20,000 (including professional engineers fees, Council fees and the strengthening work itself) the building has been transformed from an earthquake-prone structure to an 100% compliant building. The Owners are naturally delighted with the result and are highly impressed with the services of Silvester Clark.”
Because of yours and Silvester Clark’s urgent and quality assistance, we now have clarity on our next move in pursuing this building.