Civil designer

Why do you come to work?

I am driven by work where I can be creative, constructive and get the critical details right – helping to create something that benefits the community.

What do you love most about your job?

I enjoy collaborating with others to solve tricky problems, come up with innovative solutions and produce tangible stuff such as a final design or a completed construction project.

What do you do outside of work?

I enjoy spending time with my family on outdoor activities – flyfishing for trout, saltwater kayak fishing and competitive archery.

What are some things you are proud of?

I am proud of many of the projects we have successfully delivered as a team. Some examples are the Hanlin Rd/Cambridge Rd roundabout (providing a safe, aesthetic and efficient intersection improvement) and the Te Awa cycleway (a shared path providing safe long distance cycle travel, with boardwalks and bridges to open up access through scenic sections of the Waikato River).

I would like to thank Karen and the team at Graymatter, for and outstanding job delivering the new roundabout at Hanlin Road. The project was very high profile, as it was outside the National Velodrome and St Peter’s School in Cambridge. Graymatter were involved from the beginning with project planning, and other activities needed to get funding approval. Graymatter led project and stakeholder workshops, and completed a comprehensive business case for the works. Graymatter also led investigations and completed the design work and contract documentation, and well as project supervision, and MSQA. Throughout the process the Graymatter team acted professionally and ensured tough questions were not avoided, and overall our stakeholders and partners enjoyed the positive collaborative honest and friendly approach taken. The end result is one the community is proud of, and looking at the project I can see many areas, where the inputs led by Karen and the team made a difference and ensured that value was added. Additional cyclepaths and bus access was able to be incorporated into the design. Karen also managed to keep all the parties working towards common agreed goals. The construction also was disrupted by COVID shutdown and Karen kept the project construction moving forward, and ensured that the all parties managed their own risks positively and colaboratively.   I would have no hesitation in recommending the Graymatter team for other works.
Paul Strange Asset Management team leader-Transportation
WAIPA DISTRICT COUNCIL