Week 67: A lot has happened since we last wrote. Back in May we removed the first tower crane which has enabled us to infill the structural holes where the crane mast was located. We have completed filling these holes and the roof is now fully sealed allowing the dry finishes to commence within the building.
The two prototype rooms are now substantially complete with just some final touches of paint and laying of carpet required prior to inspection in the coming days. Now that we have built the prototype rooms we are able to commence construction of the remaining 200 rooms throughout the building!
Elsewhere inside the building we have started to form the acoustic inner box to the Recital Hall. The floating floor was 'jacked up' in May and the independent steel frame erected in June. We have now completed the first of three layers of wall & ceiling linings which will complete the inner box. The walls and ceiling to the inner box must achieve a density of 37kg/m2 to meet the demanding acoustic specification. This is being done with one layer of 22mm OSB (Oriented Strand Board) and two layers of 15mm dense plasterboard.
We have also started to install the exposed concrete 'feature stair' adjacent to the main entrance. This stair will rise from Basement Level 1 up to Level 4 of the School and will be enclosed by the handmade bricks which wrap around the envelope.
Externally, we have started to strike some of the scaffold to Walkers Croft/Victoria Approach and the public can now start to glimpse some of the traditional laid brickwork.
The highlight of the last period has been the installation of the 'Corten' footbridge. On Saturday 2nd July the team assembled to lift the two spans successfully into place. This slender footbridge will form the principal access into the new building.
