Auckland's skyline will get a touch of Manhattan when its first major structural steel-framed high-rise commercial tower rises on the ex-Downtown site.Instead of the block-like construction technique Aucklanders are used to, giant steel beams will be trucked into the city, then bolted and welded together using the same techniques which created many of the buildings on New York's skyline.Scott Pritchard, chief executive of Precinct Properties which is developing the 39-level 100-shop Auckland waterfront block, said construction materials and techniques to be used would be unique but also necessary to protect Auckland Transport's new City Rail Link tunnels from the gigantic new tower's weight."This is the first major Auckland structural steel high-rise," he said.A diagrid structural steel frame will form the new PwC building's skeleton, rather than reinforced concrete, common in other major Auckland towers, Pritchard said."The benefits for the occupants is they're in a really strong building. It's slightly more expensive to build but faster," he said, estimating a 10 per cent time saving on more traditional construction.Structural steel is far more common in American high-rise construction, particularly in New York and that's not where the similarities with Commercial Bay end, he said."The steel is coming from Herrick in the US, working with Culham Engineering in New Zealand. They're joint providers of the steel which Herrick is manufacturing in the US and Thailand," he said.Continued below.Related Content Video Watch: $850m Commercial Bay building site in...

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