Harborne Academy - Model Workshop

After the initial sketch designs, the teams took their proposals into the model workshop to experiment with building forms and begin to consider structures



Some familiar themes of geometry appear as well as some more radical shape explorations that would challenge some of our greatest engineers.



With one team eventually finding some structural similarities with some innovative structures of the past

Library of Birmingham Site Visits

Each school is visiting the construction site of the new Library of Birmingham.



Visits have been excellently arranged by Sinead MacKenzie of Carillion with energetic and enthusiastic discussion at the existing Central Library undertaken by Phil Burns







These photos were taken on Small Heath's visit when Sinead provided an engaging explanation of post-tensioned concrete construction. A technique used to accommodate increased floor to floor heights after planning approval without the need to increase building height



We learned amongst other things that it takes the Tower Crane drivers 15 minutes to reach the cabin.

Harborne Academy's first workshop

An architect-led introduction to the project.

We discussed the essence of library buildings and their relevance to society today. Each group considered a site context, possible features of the library/theatre and developed some conceptual sketch ideas.

Brainstorming & Space planning

Each project team in each of the four schools started the project by considering the purpose and contents of a library of the future. The integration or separate development of theatres has been approached differently amongst the groups.

Common themes explored include;

- openness and welcoming appearance
- social facilities
- links to a variety of other public facilities including hospitals, casinos, schools and the International Space Station
- vibrant interiors
- various sections; music usually being more popular than literature
- games and activity sections
- a wide variety of computer/gadget/touchscreen technologies both current and imagined

One of the most intriguing aspects to these sessions has been the discussions concerning where the project will be based. An impressive list is growing including;

Birmingham City Centre
Each of the schools
Liverpool (linked to a childrens' hospital
Los Angeles
Longbridge Rover Site
Ghana
International Space Station (extension)
Inter-continental standardised design
Florida