We are proud to celebrate Bryce Hourigan’s monumental 10-year anniversary milestone at Vitruvius. From the early days when our small team gathered around the kitchen table for every break to growing into a 50+ strong company across three offices, Bryce has been a formidable part of scribing our journey.
As an incredibly high regarded and nationally sought after Track Designer, Bryce has played a key role in some of our most significant projects. Over the past decade, he was track design lead and designer for the reference alignment of the Auckland City Rail Link (CRL), upgrades to the North Auckland Line, the realignment of Tunnel 21 on the Main North Line (MNL), Wellington Metro Upgrade Programme (WMUP) 6A, and many many more. His expertise of technical delivery through challenging complexities whilst adhering to national standards (that he was one of the original contributors to) have made a huge impact on both Vitruvius and these project outcomes.
In the early days, Bryce took on some real hands-on challenges – one particularly telling moment was wearing brand-new Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) into the Otira Tunnel for a night of measuring coal and cleaning. A bold choice, in hindsight as the PPE was blackened by coal and ruined!
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- Figure 1: Otira Tunnel
- Figure 2: Kaimai Tunnel – Brattice Door
A unique project was the challenge of designing a brattice door (something he previously had never heard of) for the Kaimai Tunnel Portal, overseeing its manufacture and installation. This involved not only getting up to speed with the purpose and function of the specialised ventilation door but also overseeing its manufacture and installation. What started as an unfamiliar concept quickly became another challenge he took in his stride – and he nailed it.
One of Bryce’s most rewarding experiences has been his key role in the Kaikōura Earthquake recovery. Being part of the team leading the reconstruction and seeing the transformation firsthand remains a career highlight. His contributions included track realignment design for affected areas and spatial assessments for all tunnels along the route – critical work that helped restore this vital transport corridor.
Tunnel 18 MNL (Kaikoura)
Bryce’s contribution to the growth of Vitruvius through culture, systems and processes has strongly contributed to where we are now. In 2020, Bryce became the first-ever recipient of the Vitruvian of the Year award, voted on by his peers to honour those who exemplify our company values. In 2024, he was again recognised as runner-up – a testament to his continued impact and leadership within our team.
Congratulations, Bryce! Your dedication and expertise have helped shape Vitruvius, and we’re grateful for the past ten years. We look forward to many more.