A new three Storey teaching block at St Georges CoE School in Gravesend
What Did The Job Involve?
This project involved two phases of work. The new 3-storey teaching block, which was a steel frame construction on concrete piled foundations with ground beams, a precast concrete ground floor and upper floors. A mixture of brickwork and trespa cladding formed the envelope on SFS framing. Internally the building provided classrooms, dance studio, 6th form study area, meeting rooms, a large and associated stores and wc’s on each floor. Within the existing school general teaching spaces were turned into science rooms. This was completed over a summer holiday. The second phase involved the demolition of tow large concrete framed blocks and the remodelling of external areas with a mixture of hard and soft landscaping. The school was in occupation throughout except where the pandemic disrupted both school and construction.
What Were The Challenges?
One of the main challenges was the shared access. This had to be managed with the school by clear communication. The school is located within a residential area and the road leading to the school gates was particular tight. Manoeuvring piling rigs and large machinery proved a challenge but passed without incident. Also a Southern Water main sewer passed beneath the footprint of the building. At the time of commencement the formal agreement had not been concluded by the client and so this had to be maintained during the construction work and later diverted.
Beardwell’s Added Value
Ground breaking and topping out ceremonies were held on site involving the school. We also engineered and led a project to paint a school building using a select group of students. The project involved planning, procurement and production and served as an introduction to workflow planning. Regular liaison meetings were held with local residents. Ecology measures were introduced and donations of materials made within the school. Community wood recycling was also used where surplus timber was recycled within the community. We also assisted with the formation of a sanctuary garden comprising a small garden area.
