Page 4 - Eclipse - Autumn 2021

GENERAL NEWS

Hawkshead Campus developments

Dr Jo Payne, RVC’s Operational Interface Manager

ne of the most important of COVID-19 and Brexit have put Once we have moved people out of the
milestones in any building unprecedented pressure on both supply remaining portion of the Clinical Block,
project is known as “topping chains and the availability of labour, we have the rest of that building to strip
Oout”. Dating back to the eighth which have had an impact on progress. and demolish before we can start some
century, it referred to the placing of the Sub-zero temperatures at the start of significant improvement works to the
final beam atop the building, traditionally the year prevented us pouring concrete, CEEED (Centre for Emerging, Endemic
adorned with greenery and ribbons. while high winds throughout the spring and Exotic Diseases) building and
These days, it marks the point in limited the availability of our tower crane. create the landscaped courtyard at the
construction when all the structural But despite all the set-backs, we are still heart of the campus.
elements have been completed; in our making good headway. Over in the new Student Learning Centre,
case, the last pouring of the reinforced the roof is now weatherproof, and we’ve
concrete frame back in March. The new Centre for Vaccinology and nearly finished the exterior glazing.
Regenerative Medicine has been
The significance is usually celebrated with glazed and weatherproofed. We’ve Contractors are busy throughout the space
drinks, VIPs and a ceremony, but sadly installed all the power, data and gas installing electrical and mechanical systems,
not for this building. Around the country, distribution and furnished the new partition walls and raised access floors.
it has been a year of missed celebrations; labs. The refurbishment of the existing Away from construction, there have been
missed weddings, missed birthdays, TaRC spaces is also now finished. countless architect workshops to finalise
missed graduations, and this project is no We’ve agreed the space allocations, the designs for the group learning space,
different. Hopefully we will be in a better ordered the office furniture and directed learning rooms, main reception,
position to gather together when the new engaged the move management staff lounge, and library, as well as the display
buildings are handed over.
provider. We anticipate a handover of RVC art and artefacts. We’ve selected
Unfortunately, this has also been a year in December and we can start worktops for tea points, fabrics for lecture
of missed deadlines. The dual challenges populating the space. theatre seats and tiles for the atrium floor.

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