Wrapped up

With the Christmas holidays starting construction work is virtually complete for 2011.

Everything is still going to schedule so the New Year should see a busy January leading to handover of the completed building in February. Meanwhile all manner of finishes, fixtures and fittings are now starting to arrive and are being installed. This includes the servery, which will provide the focal point in the Cafe. Unfortunately we'll have to wait until well past Christmas before we can unwrap it, but we're sure it'll be well worth it.

Inside curve

With Christmas almost upon us, the builders want to make the most of the enforced break by pouring the remaining floor screeds so they can cure over the holiday. This not only means that the underfloor heating pipework has had to be laid, but it also means that the internal scaffold has been taken down. So, for the first time we've been able to get sight of what the main hall will look like, especially the curved rear wall which we think looks great.

Emerging

At long last the scaffold, which has obscured the building as it's been built over the last few months, is finally coming down. We've not yet had chance to see the building in daylight as it emerges butterfly-like from it's scaffold cocoon, but here's a glimpse of it that we caught yesteday evening as we passed.

Porcelain

It's getting extremely busy on site with various trades now working around each other as the finishes start to be installed.

Part of this is the second fix of the plumbing, with the installation of sinks, WCs and their associated taps etc. So far one of the basins has been installed but that's sure to change over the next few days with all these ready to be unpacked and fixed in place.

Heating

December has arrived along with the first frost of the winter and while the building isn't yet protected by a functioning heating system, the plumbers are making good progress.

Installation of the bulk of the underfloor heating pipework happened a few weeks ago when the floor screed was poured. The plumbers are now installing all the other pipework that connects the gas fired boilers to the heating system.

Once the pipework system is complete and pressure tested they will then be able to fire up the boilers, allowing the heating system to start the important process of drying out the building.

Cladding

The third and final main external finish is now being applied to the building. After the standing seam Aluzinc and the addition of the ivory render last month, we now have timber cladding being installed to complete the facade.

Sourced locally from South Wales, the Larch timber is not only a sustainable material but also a locally grown one. Western Red Cedar was considered early in the design but this was ruled out as it would have to have been shipped in from Canada, with a significantly larger carbon footprint than the Larch.

Busy busy...

We've managed to have several visits to site over the last couple of weeks and the rate of progress is impressive with various different trades working around each other. The Mechanical and Electrical installers are busy installing ductwork, pipework and cabling, and this includes the underfloor heating pipework and manifolds, which is then being covered by a concrete screed.

The other major 'wet' trade on site now are the plasterers, who are starting to cover up the blockwork and give the walls their final smooth finish. All in all it's a busy site and despite the extensive scaffolding it's getting easier to visualise what the building will be like when it's complete.

Skylight above the Cafe