Concrete and the slump test

A group of year 10 construction students involved with the SchoolHouse Project spent Monday morning conducting ‘slump tests’ and helping an external team introduce fresh concrete to the site.
Having studied concrete in theory, the group put their knowledge into practice and produced mixes of dry, medium and wet consistencies.

The slump test itself is a British Standard test that measures the workability of fresh concrete. A sample of an individual batch is shovelled into a cone-shaped funnel and then tipped out like a sand castle. Once the mound has been left to slump, its new height is measured and decisions can be made about its suitability for work.

Following the test, the group assisted an external team as they poured concrete into holes scattered across the site, which are to be used to support the attractive post and beam frame currently standing on the field.

Photo update: BDA building site

With the garage demolished to make room for the house, we've now got a fully-fledged building site on the BDA grounds.

Easter Construction Camp

During the Easter break a group of students integral to the SchoolHouse Project attended a four-day workshop, allowing for an extended period of uninterrupted construction.

The group produced a temporary canopy, to protect the building site from the weather, and continued work on the large timber frames. They were encouraged to familiarise themselves with a wide range of hand tools, including chisels, saws and hand-powered drills, to help them transform mortise and tenons into large beams.

At the end of the week, students competed against one another in a race to saw through the beams and to drill the fastest mortise. Well done to Mohamed Hussein and Raeem Leavy, who won the cross-cut race.

In the second week of the holiday, the school garage was demolished to make room for the house. Dame Sally was on hand to drive the digger that destroyed the existing structure.

A long-overdue update

Having completed all wall panels and the vast majority of roof rafters, students are now working on the Douglas fir timber frame. They are using traditional frame-building techniques to cut large scale joints.

During the Easter break many students will be attending a week-long frame-building camp to keep progress ticking over, before the garage is demolished at the start of the summer term to make room for the frame and walls.

See below for images of Hamza at work with an antique drilling rig, and Luke and Ricardo making good use of a large cross cut saw.

Well done team and keep up the good work!

 

A word on our donors: Travis Perkins

Travis Perkins – a prominent supplier of goods to the UK’s building and construction industry for over 200 years – has contributed £15,000 towards the project budget.

The donated funds are being used for general, non-propriety building materials, which can be particularly difficult to get sponsorship for. These include nails, DPC, protective clothing and plasterboard, among other essentials. We are extremely grateful for this generous contribution.

For more information on Travis Perkins, visit their website at http://www.travisperkins.co.uk/

 

Photo update: Monday Construction Club

Former pupil Jay Wilson shares his knowledge and skills with Year 7s at yesterday's afterschool Construction Club.

 

More kind donations: Velfac and Wates

We would like to say a huge thank you to Velfac - an international company specialising in high performances doors and windows - for a very generous donation worth in excess of £9,000.

Needless to say, no house is complete without a top-notch, attractive array of doors and windows; with plenty of coming and going sure to take place, this latest donation is most welcome.

We also wish to express our gratitude to Wates, who are one of the UK’s largest building and construction companies, for an extremely kind donation of £5,000. With a rich history spanning well over a century, Wates is synonymous in the trade with quality service and sustainability.

We really are very fortunate indeed.

A word on our donors: Makita

We would like to express our gratitude to Makita – the world’s leading manufacturer of power tools – for kindly donating top of the range equipment for our students to use throughout the project.

For close to 100 years Makita has been delivering quality tools to people and companies across the globe, playing an important role in the evolution of construction worldwide.

Burlington Danes Academy is extremely fortunate to have received such a generous donation, includimg: top of the range electric impact drivers and screwdrivers, a sliding chop saw, a power planer, a jig saw and a sander.

As the company's own vision statement says: “By providing the tools, Makita is ensuring that anything is possible... not only contributing to a better today, but investing in a better future.”

A bird's-eye view

To capture the pace and progress of the project, Woody James, the film crew's cinematographer and director of photography, has installed a permanent camera mount overlooking the area where the house is to be erected.

The mount will remain on the school roof for the duration of the project and the crew will use it to film a timelapse shot on every visit to Burlington Danes. The resulting sequence will contribute to a clear and aesthetically pleasing illustration of the magnitude of the task undertaken. The material might also be used for a progression shot that will recur throughout the film.

Familiar faces at Monday Construction Club

Every Monday after school, the workshop doors are thrown open to any students keen to lend a hand and play their part in the building of the house. So far participation has been outstanding, ensuring an output almost matching that of the timetabled construction classes.

Numbers have been consistently high and the atmosphere is always one of enthusiasm and productivity. Attendees are showing an eagerness to learn that is fairly reflected in the quality of their work and the rapid development of their expertise.

A particularly noteworthy contribution has come from an extremely competent group of fresh-faced Year 7 girls who rarely miss a session.

Mariam Rahman, Ola Ibrahim, Rania El-Gamal and Einas Omar have shown passion and commitment to the cause and are fast proving themselves to be invaluable members of the team. Already dab hands with the contents of most tool boxes and always prepared to acquire new skills, they are also showing an astute understanding of the technical side of the building plans.

Mariam, 11, said: “I wasn’t too interested at first, but once I tried it I found it really interesting and I really enjoyed it. It’s really fun.”

Keep it up girls and we’ll have a house before Christmas!

 

Photo update: Great Monday club turnout

 

Photo update: Wall panel in progress

 

Photo update: Plans and instructions

Trio lead the way

A big thank you must be said to Adam, Fahim and Malachi, who returned to school after hours for our annual Open Evening last week to show prospective parents the progress that has been made with the project.

These boys are excelling in their construction classes and have taken a leading role in the building of the house. They are setting a formiddable example to other students and are fast picking up a handy skill set that will hold them in good stead for the future. We are expecting great things from them!

Where our timber comes from

All of the timber that we are using in production has been generously donated by BSW (British Soft Wood), the largest sawmilling business in the UK, and is grown right here on home soil.

The species of soft wood that we are using is Larch, a tree that produces timber of a strong, durable nature, resistant to decay and insect or fungal attacks. Larch is a particularly healthy choice of timber because it requires no extra chemicals to prevent it from rotting. Opting to use locally sourced timber, rather than concrete blocks, means that considerably less energy has been used in the production of our building materials than is sometimes the case with similar projects.

For more information on BSW visit www.bsw.co.uk

Photo update: Students perusing the plans

Year 10 and 11 construction students have so far fabricated at least 20 ladder frames and our excellent after school club, who meet every Monday to help with with the project, have matched this production. Next up will be the window panels.

Students peruse the house plans:

Photo update: Sixth formers working hard

BDA Sixth Form students roll up their sleeves and help with the production of the ladder frames, which will form the basic wall structure of the house...

 

 

Photo update: Year 10 construction class

Year 10 model makers hard at work...

The SchoolHouse Project is underway

We are pleased to confirm that our plans to bring staff and students together to build a fully functioning timber house on our White City site is no longer a dream in the pipeline - it’s a reality. The SchoolHouse Project is underway and things are moving faster than expected.

Under the supervision of a skilled and knowledgeable team of professionals, students have thrown themselves into the initial stages of the challenge with ample grit and enthusiasm. Well into the process of constructing the wall panels for the house, the group are fast acquiring a considerable skill set that will serve them well over the coming months.

Roderick James, the architect leading the project, has been impressed not only by the efficiency of the young workforce, but also by their creative input and conceptual understanding of the plans. Students have been eagerly offering insights and opinions that will have a significant bearing on the finished product.

At this early stage, special mention must be made of Malachi Grant, Fahim Omarzaiy and Adam Doad, who have displayed valuable leadership qualities, contributing to sharp and productive output.

The coming months are sure to be a very exciting time at Burlington Danes Academy.

Visit www.rjarchitects.co.uk for information about Roderick James Architects LLP.

The Fulham Chronicle reports on the SchoolHouse Project

An article published in June by the Hammersmith and Fulham Chronicle about the project:

http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2013/06/03/burlington-danes-pupils-to-build-timber-house-for-documentary-82029-33421726/