Students on an Advanced Diploma level 3 in Construction and Built Environment (CBE) at theCollege have undertaken a ‘live’ project for the National Trust at Ickworth House.
They have been invited to come up with a proposal for new gardeners’ accommodation within the grounds of Ickworth House.
The students attended a briefing at the Rotunda, Ickworth House in May, when they met the National Trust’s regional building manager, Sarah Bowers, Ickworth head gardener Sean Reid and local architect John Stebbing
They were asked to design something that would be aesthetically pleasing, but to consider sustainability and cost.
After surveying the proposed area and existing accommodation and taking photos, the students worked in small teams for two weeks to come up with a solution. Each team had a CAD (Computer Aided Design) technician, surveyor, project manager, technical researcher and an estimator.
They presented their proposals to the client in June at Ickworth House. Gary Clarke, Head of Faculty of Arts & Technology, and David Frost Head of School of Construction at West Suffolk College, joined the judging panel along with Sarah Bowers, Sean Reid, John Stebbing and Caroline Pons, General Manager at Ickworth.
The winning group was the CS team - members Oliver Wardrop, Shaun Smith, Ben Fraser and Rhys McDonald. They were presented with a hardback book on landscape gardening by the National Trust and mini hard drive from the College. All the students who took part in the project received a National Trust mug.
Tutor Linzi Stivey said: “The students worked really hard and they have learned a lot through this process. We were very impressed with the sophistication of the questions they asked the client at the onset of the project and the standard of information produced for the presentation.
“Each group had great 3D visuals drawn in ADT CAD and a model of the proposed building. I was very proud of the imaginative solutions the teams came up with.”
CS: the winning team designed a simple pavilion-style building with an open plan office, kitchen and conference area. This project included several sustainable items, which the judges particularly favoured, including a ground source heat pump.
The Proper Job: This project was styled around the shape of the existing Ickworth House with two asymmetrical wings growing out from a central conference area. The judges particularly like the covered veranda style walkway to travel from one wing to the other.
The Outsiders: The exceptional model produced by this group not only showed the design but also how this timber framed building was put together. The judges commented on the fact that this group had introduced new sustainable concepts, such as heated glazing for the main building and twin wall bubble wrap for the poly tunnel that the National Trust had not come across before.
Advanced Diploma in Construction and Built Environment is a new course at the College. This is the first level 3 Advanced Diploma to be run in the College. Students are required to do work experience.