Category Archives: Building for the future

The new Colyer-Fergusson centre for Music Performance project.

New building: latest images

The floor is down in the new concert-hall, and yesterday’s site visit really set the levels of anticipation running very high.  In the company of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Keith Mander and his assistant Marianne, the Director of Music and myself toured the construction site and saw the character of the hall really beginning to emerge.

Concert-hall floor from the rear balcony, looking towards the lighting-box

Pictured above is the flooring, covered temporarily to protect it whilst further work carries on. Light floods in from the recessed roof-light, as well as from the large windows to each side of the hall. The overall effect is of a light, airy space, enhanced by the lightness of the wooden panelling adorning the walls.

Concert-hall, from the rear balcony looking towards the large window on the western side
Panelling adorning the balcony wall

The foyer space, shown here from the balcony at the top of the stairs to the first floor, is taking shape nicely, and will offer a terrific, intimate space for chamber performances on its modular stage.

Foyer space from balcony, towards stairs to first floor, behind which is the social space; at the top of the stairs, entrance to large rehearsal room

 

Let there be light: the concert-hall roof

See a full gallery of all the images from yesterday, and throughout the project, by clicking the album below.

Images

New building: latest images: look, no scaffolding!

The scaffolding inside the concert hall, which has previously provided such great opportunities for artistic photography, was finally removed last Wednesday, and here are a few photos immediately after it disappeared.

Interior: without scaffolding

Rooflight

Without the scaffolding, you can really get a sense of the amount of light afforded by both the western window and the magnificent roof-light (pictured above). That first moment, seeing the hall in glory, was apparently quite intense – the Director of Music might even have shed a tear!

And finally, a shot from the balcony at the northern end of the building,  looking back towards the lighting box.

See a full gallery of all the images from  the project here.

New building: latest images

A meeting with the architects yesterday turned into a site visit; I’ll spare you the images of myself and colleagues kitted out in the obligatory H&S hats, boots and reflective jackets and bring you instead some pictures of the latest developments:

Foyer
Foyer space, looking north

The foyer and reception space continues to unfold; the image above shows the view looking northwards, from what will be the continuation into the Gulbenkian Theatre, looking back towards the staircase to the first floor and across what will be the foyer space; here, the small foyer performance stage will be situated, together with tables and chairs.

Foyer staircase
Staircase to upper floor

Above, the foot of the stairs to the upper floor; beyond it, to the left, there’s a glimpse of the social space which will located in the north-east corner, a place to meet, to work, or to wait for a performance to begin.

Rehearsal room window
Let there be light...

Moving upstairs, the two large ensemble rehearsal rooms are taking shape as bright, airy spaces with the admitting of natural light through floor-to-ceiling windows; above, one of the windows in the smaller (yes, the smaller!) of the two rooms. On concert nights, these rooms will also function as green rooms for performers.

Foyer roof-light
Foyer roof-light and balcony

The foyer roof-light (above) will afford lots of light into the reception space below, underneath it will be a balcony offering standing-views overlooking the foyer performance stage below.

Hall balcony
Wood you believe it

The final image is inside the concert hall itself, from the balcony and looking northward again towards what will eventually be the choral seating. The wooden panelling (right), which will bedeck the inside of the hall, continues to appear.

Exciting times indeed. See a full gallery of all the images from yesterday, and throughout the project, by clicking the album below.

Images

 

 

New music building: latest images

A flurry of photos from yesterday’s site meeting at the new music building construction, with some exciting facets of the building now starting to develop.

First, and most importantly, though, there was the necessary assessing of the audience chairs: pictured right are Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Keith Mander, and BNP Paribas Project Manager, Tony Forbat, most definitely NOT sitting down on the job, but rather giving due consideration to the retractable audience-seating for the hall!

The foyer roof-light continues to develop, and looks particularly exciting, and will afford plenty of light into the foyer space welcoming people into the building and the small foyer performance stage.

The roof-light in the concert-hall itself is also taking shape: pictured here, looking directly up from the floor of the hall.

Additionally, the wooden interior of the hall is starting to appear, in particular as part of the roofing; walking across the temporary boarding to examine this was certainly not for the faint-hearted, according to the Director of Music!

And finally, an exterior view of the north-facing facade, with windows onto large ensemble rehearsal rooms to the right and left, and staff office windows.

See a full gallery of all the images from yesterday, and throughout the project, by clicking the album below.

Images

New music building: latest photos

A crop of photos taken last Friday at the new Colyer-Fergusson construction site. The windows of the upper ensemble rehearsal rooms and the staff offices have been going in recently, as well as the rather large window in the western side of the concert-hall.

North elevation
Upper rehearsal rooms and offices
West wall
West wall of the concert hall

Thefoyer roof-light is in the process of being installed as well.

Foyer roof-light being installed

View all the images from the construction project by clicking on the album below. Exciting times…

Images

Topping-out ceremony

Last Friday saw the ‘topping-out’ ceremony for the new Colyer-Fergusson music building, a significant moment in the life of the new edifice.

Gathered together were senior University figures, guests, supporters, members of the architectural and construction firms, and friends to celebrate this major landmark in the project, and to witness the symbolic turning of the final nut in the roof’s construction.

A tour of the construction site gave the assembled visitors the chance to see the shape of the emerging building, the concert-hall, foyer, and practice rooms.

Ending up in the roof, and to an heraldic fanfare from the University Brass Ensemble waiting below, the party looked on as Chairman of the Colyer-Fergusson Charitable Trust, Jonathan Monckton, wielded the spanner and officially closed the construction of the roof.

 

Exciting times…

View all the images from the event by clicking on the album below.

Images

Photos: Mick Norman.

New music building: latest images

New photographs from last Friday’s site visit, where construction on our new Colyer-Fergusson music building is progressing apace.

Views now of the corridor of practice rooms on the ground floor, and the developing reception foyer and social space as visitors walk in the entrance.

Corridor of ground-floor practice rooms
Reception foyer, looking towards stairs to first floor

There’s also a photo of the new band rehearsal room: see all the new photos online by clicking the album below.

Images