17 January 2013

Phoenix HQ Update No. 3


There have been significant advances on site since the last blog on the 30th of November last year. At that point Phase I (the first half of the main building) of the frame and SIPs were on the brink of completion and we were expecting Phase II of the frame and the interior blockwork to commence imminently.
Site on the 12.12.2012
 
As of the 12th December Phase II of the composite timber frame and steel deck had been completed and for the first time it was possible to see the overall scale of the building. Since then a number of different trades have been able to operate concurrently on site, which has seen the speed of the construction process gain momentum. Over the last month work has been progressing on:


1. The frame - The weather (bar the cold) has been kind to us and Phase II of the frame has continued on schedule and is now almost complete. All the wall and roof panels are in place and only the framing of the feature window is outstanding.

Installation of the roof SIPs
 
2. Internal Blockwork - The blockwork has been moving ahead in the interior of the completed sections of the frame. As the blockwork will remain exposed with only a painted finish in all the public areas, a lot of attention has gone into its detailing.

Blockwork under construction
 
3. Zinc Cladding - The exterior of the first floor on Phase I of the frame has been sheathed in plywood. In the last week and a half the installation of the zinc, which will eventually clad the entirety of the first floor has commenced. This is very exciting as it is the first of the final finishes that we have been able to see on site.

Zinc being installed
 
As the current trades progress on site the current goal is to complete the installation of the zinc and get the building watertight so that the next major milestone can be reached when the ground floor screed is poured.

Site on the 16.01.2013