40 Week Construction Period - Offsite Timber Frame and Panels 

‘I am delighted with the result of all the work that has been undertaken. It has simply transformed the physical environment of the school. ‘  Christopher Hassel- Headmaster- Reepham High School, Norfolk

The brief

Our initial task was to provide a School Objectives Masterplan for the  Redevelopment of Reepham High School with a focus on the early provision of a new ‘state of the art’ Science Block,  together with the remodelling of the areas vacated by the existing science rooms in the existing 1960’s buildings .

The Science Block was completed to a demanding budget with construction commencing November 2004 and with completion prior to the start of the autumn term  2005 - a period of 40 weeks. 

Timber Frame and panel to achieve required opening date

We decided that in this instance the best way to achieve the clients required opening date was to select a timber frame and panel specialist to provide an ‘off site’ solution for the superstructure.  This allowed the shell to be made water-tight to enable internal fit-out and finishes to be carried out whilst the external wall and roof finishes were applied.

Remodelling by staff and pupils

Substantial elements of the remodelling works were carried out by the staff and pupils of the school to keep the costs to a minimum.

Environmental approach

To achieve a building which maintained comfortable and stimulating working conditions with low energy usage we have created a heavily insulated cross ventilated approach which has limited the use of mechanical ventilation to lavatories and fume cupboards

The  building illustrated above was officially opened by xxxx in Sept 2005

Extendabilty in practice

'The building was designed to be readily extendable and additional science labs, to match the original, were opened in Sept 2009.'   Andrew Teather and Christopher Walls