Key construction phase at Homerton College dining hall nears completion

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Bob Steward (Barnes Construction), Geoff Ward and Deborah Griffin (Homerton College) and Edmund Fowles (Fielden Fowles)
Bob Steward (Barnes Construction), Geoff Ward and Deborah Griffin (Homerton College), and Edmund Fowles (Fielden Fowles) (Photo: Warren Page)

The Bursar and College Principal have joined with representatives from the construction team and the college, to celebrate the culmination of a key stage in the building of a new dining hall at Homerton College in Cambridge.

Bursar, Deborah Griffin OBE, Geoff Ward, College Principal and Bob Steward, Joint MD of Barnes Construction, took the opportunity before the scaffold is removed later this month, to climb to the rooftop of the building and take a closer look at the Faience (terracotta) cladding, which covers the whole external façade of the building.

Barnes Construction started work on the circa £10m scheme in 2020, which has been designed by architects, Fielden Fowles, to celebrate the integrity and inherent beauty of materials and craftsmanship.

Constructed around an existing London Plane Tree at the entrance, the new dining hall’s inverted zinc roof is supported by exposed sweet chestnut beams. The Faience cladding which has been manufactured by Darwen Terracotta and installed by Szerelmey, is already being hailed as one of the more spectacular uses of ceramic in a building.

Faience terracotta cladding
Faience terracotta cladding

Bob Steward is impressed with the distinctive high specification design and said: “There is no doubt that when the scaffolding comes down, this new building will make a striking addition to the campus at Homerton College. The work being done here has been a great example of collaboration in construction and, as well as Fielden Fowles, I would like to thank Structure Workshop, Max Fordham, Bremner Partnership, and Ingleton Wood, for helping us to keep the project on track.”

Deborah Griffin is enthusiastic and excited about the project and added: “We have been watching the faience being installed and can see that it will be a spectacular building.  We can’t wait to see it in its full glory when the scaffolding comes down.”

The project is due for to be completed in February 2022.