Fit-out well on the way

We are within 12 weeks of completion of the New College Village. Progress has been good on all fronts. Only Level 7 has significant work to be done with most walls completed and services well advanced. On lower floors the extent of the fit-out varies with elevation. Levels 1 and 2 are almost complete with carpet laying to commence in apartments and studios soon. Most kitchens are now fitted up to Level 4 and painting is well advanced on lower levels. Tiling to bathrooms is completed to Level 3 and underway up to Level 6. The rooftop services are also well advanced with air conditioning and hot water units currently being installed. External finishes are also well advanced with all three surface types under way. The photos below give some sense of the progress to date. We expect completion by the 20th December and our first guests by the 5th January 2009.

Above: View of the southern Level 3 corridor

Above: One of the apartment shared kitchens nearing completion

Above: Services being installed on the roof with the city skyline in the distance

Fit-out well on the way

Progress on the services and finishing

While we've been preoccupied with the structure in recent times (for obvious reasons) it's encouraging to see lot's of work occurring inside the building. Internal walls are going up on Levels 1, 2 and 3, windows are being fitted and all services are progressing with well advanced plumbing, air-conditioning and electrical work on Levels 1 and 2.

The structure itself is up to the 6th floor with both the 6A and 6B slab floors due to be poured next week. Rain has disrupted things this week a little but hopefully this will still occur next week. The complete structure is due for completion by mid July (about 6 weeks).

Work on the marketing of the Village is also well progressed with a new website to be launched in a few weeks and promotional work already occurring. Applications are coming in and some places have been offered. I am now beginning to think through the specifics of the pastoral care and academic support that will need to be in place by January.


Above - Looking out to the inner courtyard from the Level 3 south-west common room


Above - Walls going in on Level 3









Left - Walls and insulation going in on Level 1

Progress on the services and finishing

At the half way mark!

Yesterday we reached the halfway mark with the structure. The second half of the fourth floor slab was laid and the walls for half of Level 4 have been erected. In fact, if you include the basement we are well past halfway and the structure is growing one storey each 13 days. We expect the final floor of the structure to be completed by mid-July.

The central courtyard will (I suspect) be one of the key sites for social interaction in the Village. It will be the site of Friday afternoon BBQs that Carmen and I intend to host. While it is currently used to store materials, it will eventually have a raised lawn and garden, a BBQ area and wireless access to the Internet.

At the more micro level, it has also been exciting to see the services beginning with plumbing well underway. We will also see the first windows installed this week and Level 1 will soon be completely stripped ready for full fit-out.

At the half way mark!