Project Description
Westborough High School were faced with relocating their school library to create more classroom space within the main school. The main challenge for this project determining the best site for the new building. With many of the education projects we work on, short timescales are required. This means that the construction phase of the project can be carried out with minimal disruption to school life.
With limited space on site, and short timescales, the school trust opted for modular construction methods. We talked through the options and the advantages to modular construction and they decided that it was the best route for their project.
The best location for the new school library was within an existing open courtyard near the main entrance to the school. The main difficulty for us was access to this area. The proposed site was not accessible to vehicles and the new building was to be constructed, in part, over a basement. Installing a 95 m2 single-storey school library on a section of the school grounds that had limited access might have proved tricky!
Modular sections lowered by crane
We started with enabling works including clearing the area and preparing the courtyard. Then we carried out the excavations for the foundations, incoming utilities and drainage.
The install was carefully planned including a crane lift over the existing school buildings. The modular sections were lowered in to position and located on specially designed steel beams which cantilevered the basement.
Once the new building was in position, our specially-selected contractors worked on the fit out. Westborough High School were to receive state-of-the art library and IT facilities in their new school library.
A full DDA compliant ramp was installed to the fire exit. This also serves as an alternative entry/exit point during break times.
Finally, a corridor was constructed to make the school library integral to the main building. The link to the school included extending existing fire alarms, intruder alarms, class change bells and data.
Limited Access
“The main challenge with this project was access to the site. We had to get creative when it came to installing the new building. In the end we used a crane to lift sections of the new modular construction over the existing school buildings!”