A look around the inside of the New Building.

Our old friend the electricity cupboard is still in place. It shows the level of the old floor and how much the new building has been dug down to reduce the height.


















This large open space will be part of the dining room. It will seat well over 100 Boarders and also be used as the day-school canteen. It will be great to not have to travel up to Shooting Field for every meal any more!

Lighting wires, emergency lighting & alarm "armoured" cables and a sprinkler system!!
This will be part of the kitchen area with storage rooms, staff toilets & cooking equipment.
Looking back out across Bennetts' playground with the top of St. Andrew's church just visible.




















Stairs going up!




















The long corridor which will have study-bedroom off each side. The metal framework you can see will have the internal wall insulation mounted into them.







The wide corridor link between the two wings. On the right will be a kitchen for that floor and on the left one of the staff flats.








View from the middle floor out over Wykeham Lawn to the shed.









The back of one of the "Pods". Each study-bedroom will have a pod which provides en-suite shower, basin and toilet.










What will be Matron's flat viewed from above.

These bricks have flints set into them. When the concrete rendering is placed between them they look exactly like an old style flint wall.... of which there is a lot in Steyning. Very cunning!

The lift shaft... not really a lot else I can say really. :-)


One of the great views from the top floor. The trees in Steyning make a nice backdrop.






From the top floor in the direction of the Lower School... which you can see in the background.

View across to the other wing of the top floor.

Alan at the top of the building. There will be study-bedrooms in these eaves.

View out of a top floor bedroom window. The local library is just visible in the background. The grass on the left is "Wykeham" lawn. (Wykeham is one of the Girl's boarding houses.)

The stairs on the way down and out... ex(c)iting eh?

Pictures on Alan's office wall showing what the final build should be like. (You can see these better on the school website.)

Alan's office with a fine view of the building work out of the window.
















Thanks for showing me around Alan! The place is starting to look huge and impressive now!

We've hit the roof!

The Mulbery tree fights for survival!
The frame of the building starts to be filled in... now it really IS starting to look big!

I can't resist a picture of two cranes!

The new building will have efficient insulation.

REALLY thick insulation!

The sixth form Art project to decorate the hoarding has got to the stage where the background is Finished. I thought that was it... but I was wrong.

Insulation & walls creeping up all over now.

These metal frames will hold insulation panels... then the walls are built up either side. Sounds strange but it goes up really fast!

Fletcher's Croft on the left... new build on the right.

See..... we have GEESE!

Stairwell moulds ready for concrete.

Outer brick walls appearing now.

Those metal frames with the insulation in them.

Insulation and steel roof frames.

The brickwork goes higher!

Roof timbers are delivered.... a LOT of roof timbers... this is just some!

Insulation with holes for windows.... which is just as well I suppose. :-)

How to do the curvey bits!

Now we have all the Geese added! It's pretty impressive. (But will people flock to see it?)

Shower/sink/toilet "pods" arrive.

The pods fit into a corner of the room and are self contained and "en suite". No more waiting for Dipo to finish showering!

And the roof starts to be built.

They are REALLY quick at ROK!

The roof timbers fly up!

View of the emerging roof from the lower school site.

Roof view from the path behind Bennetts.

Lots of electric cables being put in place. The old boarding houses were built with a socket for a hoover in the corridor. Now there are multiple sockets in every room for all the elctronic ephemera we just can't do without.

Reall REALLY getting on with the roof now!

And on the other side as well.

So..... huge spurt in the building process. ROK are efficient as ever. As I write the work has been stopped for a little while as there is a gale blowing. Makes the crane GREAT for playing conkers... but not a lot else. Hopefully the next blog will show some internal details as I get to walk round inside.... with a hard hat apparently. Looking forward to it!!