The construction of Phase II commences – an update from the Home Bursar

22 October 2014

As anyone who has visited the College in the last three weeks will know, the construction of Phase II of the Academic Wing at the front of the College is well underway. This is really two projects in one: the construction of the new link between the Academic Wing Phase I and the front Northwest corner of A Block, and the refurbishment of the three floors of the North Wing of A Block.

Who are the project team?

The main project team have a huge amount of experience both working for Wolfson and also many of the other Oxford Colleges and blue chip clients. It consists of BGS: Architects, Capital: Quantity Surveyors, Price and Myers Engineers: Structural Engineers, Michael Poppers: Mechanical Engineers, Benfield and Loxley: Main Contractors, Walker Brothers: Electrical Contractors, and Aldens: Mechanical Contractors.

Project Progress

As you approach the College you will see green wooden hoarding across the entrance to the old front forecourt, behind which the contractors' site office and storage is situated. The West car park, with a reduced number of parking spaces, has been re-marked, and the road from Robin Gandy to the old front forecourt has also been closed.

Behind the hoarding, the contractors have already removed a large number of the granite sets that formed the surface of the forecourt and have started digging under the corner of A Block to allow underpinning to take place if required.

In A Block itself many of the partition walls have already been removed and the old general office is completely stripped out. This has revealed a great view right through the building from the Berlin Quad, a view that has not been seen since the building was constructed.

The demolition of the walls in the old accounts office are also underway and the small flat (formerly the Bursar's residence) has been stripped out.

What happens next?

Over the next couple for weeks the construction works will continue with the removal of the remaining partition in A Block and the preparation of the ground on the main site for the installation of the pile foundations.

This will involve breaking up the concrete foundations to the old bike shed (for those of you who remember it) and the forecourt, which as you can imagine will be particularly noisy and disruptive and for which I can only apologise.

I hope to be able to produce a similar short update on progress every two or three weeks, but, in the meantime, if you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Barry Coote, Home Bursar