The University of Derby wanted to refurbish the existing building into a new classroom to accommodate multiple types of teaching from the arts to science.
Seddon were awarded a programme of works at the University through Lot 1 of the Scape Regional Construction Framework. Britannia mill is one of three projects that ran concurrently from May 2018 to January 2019.
The works to the classroom included the refurbishment and restoration of the existing 1850’s timber floor. This was completed by presenting a sample area to the client, which was approved and signed off to allow us to sand down and re-seal the floors.
To utilise the space and allow for more flexible teaching spaces, we worked with the client and designed sliding doors. This allows for more private teaching spaces or to use the mill as an open auditorium.
We also installed £25k worth of specialist lighting to work in tandem with the sliding doors and to keep the space clean and compact.
Our site team met with the universities IT team to present strategies to use within the mill to integrate and support new teaching methods, such as the use of touch screens, mounted cameras to record students drama or clinical sessions which stream to the touch screen to allow for more fluid on the spot review by staff and peers.
Most of the works were completed out of hours to minimise disturbance to neighbouring buildings, students and staff.
During each stage of this project students from the university were invited to the site and allowed to have an input in the final look and style of the building to ensure each part of the space suited the needs of the university and those who would be the eventual end-users.
This project was undertaken as part of the Scape Framework, for more information please see the framework page here.