architector

The C building closes the courtyard:

Now that the structure is done, levels are being capped by colaborated steel and concrete floor. Volumes can fully embraced. Double open levels, such as the "interior alley" between the plastic workshop and the cafeteria, the "slot" between the C and B building, are breathing areas when you move in the school. It is a real discovery, some may say a labyrinthe; it so exciting to discover new places each days. Future users should appreciate the density of the school. Its rythme, its spaces, its hights and narrowness. It takes 6 years to get an architecture degree, it will take that much for a student to get to know this parisian size campus. One negative point, there is no space for eventual mutation. The buildings are drawn, squeezed within their 6 peripherical walls for ever. No change can occur before there complete destruction in 25 years or so...


The E building is slowly being rebuilt:

Third floor to be completed. The 5th floors is an open terrace with a panoramic view on Paris. The 4th floor and its intermediate level has different constraints. A 80 tonnes covered foot bridge connects the E and F building above the Burnouf courtyard. Unpredicted expenses are alarming us. Today, according to the structural study bureau, the foot bridge cannot lay on the original steel legs of the F bldg. as originaly designed. We need to renforce one leg out of three. It will create a delay I am afraid... And all theses changes in stuctural principals, do change our facades (interior and exterior.) it will be costly at the end. The firm realizes how importante the diagnostic is. It is always a aspect of the project that is neglected.


The steel structure of the B building is completed :

The roof is missing. Two more weeks to go, and new contractors should instal their camp for a a few months. The facade and the zinc roof is going to take a while. But we are still waiting for the contractor (zinc and wood boards) to hand in execution plans for approval. He is late, he is flaking; the pilot send warning letters, no awakening yet! nothing is being prepared on his side. We hope he will be ready to cooperate on site...it's the law in public construction regulation.
We had to reajust the façades with respect to the actual structures; nothing is exactly the same on site while it is so precise on digital plans.!?! The margin error for metallic structures is 1/30 of a inch (1 mm is good!); margin error for concrete walls is 1/2 of an inch (20mm is not so good!) Both material together, we get bizarre results... Our job is to reajust at all time and stay as close as possible to the final image.

posted by architector @ 6:27 AM