Building up, instead of digging down
We have continued to make good progress with the Archimedes project during the non-term time, helped by continuous dry weather.
All of the large excavators have crawled out of a scarily deep hole, and with some trepidation we watched the small ones get lifted out by crane.
A mobile crane helping an excavator to depart the site.
This is end of many months of noisy jack-hammering, which is great relief for everyone at the school - and for our neighbours.
The first of many small concrete pours have occurred, so our Pompeii-like excavation is being replaced with re-enforced footings (for the giant portal frames over the pool), pipes and services (in the old car park/future change rooms) and a massive base for the tower crane that will live inside the lift shaft during the construction.
A large concrete pump reaching through the site
Highlights in the near future include establishing the tower crane (November) and further concrete pours.
Your continued support in avoiding drop off with private cars in Elliott Street is appreciated.
The Archimedes project, aka the STEM Centre and Sporting Facility, made great strides in the holidays.
The existing bridge was removed on the first day, with demolition and concrete pours happening in the vacated area immediately afterwards. Then we connected the new temporary bridge (structurally certified, of course) before the final parts of the Miller Street building were chipped away by giant mechanical excavators.
We also reached the bottom of the main excavation. While there are still detail trenches being worked on around the sides, the floor of the site that can be seen from the bridge is the future floor of the main pool.
Looking ahead to Term 3, we鈥檒l have more demolition under the Miller Street building, and then we will move, with great excitement, to start building up, instead of digging down.
Deep foundations: the view from on high
Building bridges
The old meets the new
Piece by piece: the new bridge
Building site in action
The red earth: bore holes run deep
A new home for the recognition bricks
Brick by brick: the bridge is laid
The skyscraper
Pouring the temporary driveway
New ground is broken
Team meet: the first onsite
Not everything goes to plan...
Ground zero: the site is clear
A new home for our palm tree
Excavation begins
The bulldozers: arrived and ready