Speller Metcalfe's Gloucester Office, has announced the
completion of a further stage of major sustainable re-development
at a School in the Forest of Dean.
Having finished the first stage, a design and build project for
the Heart of The Forest Community Special School, for children with
learning difficulties and special needs in June 2010, the second
phase of works has crucially been completed all whilst the school
remained open.
A delighted Andy Metcalfe Joint Managing Director of Speller
Metcalfe said: "We are proud to have been able to finish this stage
of development at the school with as little disruption for the
students as possible. This project has been another fine example of
Speller Metcalfe's commitment to sustainable re-development."
This stage of the project predominantly of timber frame
construction, concerning new key Stage 1 and key Stage 4 teaching
spaces, and the construction of a new nursery, features low pitch
roofs on exposed Glulam supports. Roof finishes are a mixture of
seamed zinc and sedum planting on a single ply membrane sheet with
external wall finishes comprising of render and cedar rain-screen
systems that offer all weather protection.
A significant part of the development has been the nursery unit,
involving a Hemcrete wall insulation solution understood to have
been the first use of this material in an education building in the
county. Due to the challenging nature of the project and
substantial co-ordination of trades required Speller Metcalfe to
take the unprecedented step of assuming direct control of the
design, manufacture and erection of the timber frame element to
ensure strict compliance of the required programme was met.
With the frame manufactured within 5 miles of the site and using
local labour and timber sourced from local suppliers, Speller
Metcalfe has ensured a truly sustainable approach to the supply
chain production of the frame element, a key part of the Speller
Metcalfe ethos.
Melissa Bradshaw, Head Teacher at the school commented: "With
our location, the need for a sustainable design solution was a
pre-requisite, with new building technologies complemented by tried
and tested methods. Speller Metcalfe understood from the outset the
need for close co-operation with the school so we were welcomed
into the Design process and they continued to integrate with school
life throughout."
Funded by Gloucestershire County Council, Speller Metcalfe
joined architects Quattro Design, and administrator Adams Fletcher
on the scheme.