The construction of Otago Polytechnic’s new 20 million-dollar student accommodation village is running on time, and will soon take form. Sources: Timberbiz, Scoop NZ
The village already has a solid foundation, with 700 stone columns of stone chipping drilled into the soil.
Naylor Love Construction, the main contractor, will start laying the concrete slab this week, finishing it in early January.
Then, the first of the timber will arrive. The school will be using a relatively new material called cross laminated timber.
This is the generic name given to structural building panels made from wood elements glued together in layers. It’s the first time CLT will be used in Dunedin and it will be the tallest and largest (by volume) CLT building in New Zealand.
Tracey Howell, Otago Polytechnic Campus Project Manager, is eagerly watching the building site, thrilled that it’s running on time and on budget.
“There has been a lot of work on the foundations – 700 stone columns were drilled into the soil before the foundation slab could be poured. It’ll be really exciting to see walls go up so we can get a real sense of its size” she said.
Jason Tutty, Naylor Love Operations Manager, says the construction industry is also excitedly following the build. “It’s the first time this type of product will be used in Dunedin, and it’s the tallest in New Zealand. We’re really pleased with how it’s progressing so far.”
The timber construction will go up in 11 stages over 90 days encompassing columns, beams, floors and walls.
The student accommodation village is the first fully owned Otago Polytechnic residence, and will have 231 beds. These will be single dormitory rooms, studios and four-bedroom apartments.
The Village will be finished prior to January 31st 2018, in time for students to arrive.
