Eton College – Bekynton Field Project

E H Smith where invited to assist in the redevelopment of Eton colleges Birley Schools laboratories into their new School rooms, lecture theatre and gallery on the site of the old school buildings they would replace, designed by renowned Architect John Simpson who amongst his portfolio of projects is probably best known for the work on the Queens Gallery at Buckingham Palace.

The overall plan is neoclassical and based around a quadrangle formed by the new buildings. Once completed the new Exhibition Gallery will house the schools’ Myers collection of Egyptology which is currently on loan to various institutions.

Working in partnership with the various parties we advised on the best solution to pre-fabricate the numerous arch types on the project without any compromise to the quality demanded of the scheme, whilst introducing an element of modern off-site production to the building process.

One of the biggest challenges was the co-ordinating, movement and finishing of what in many cases was a partnership between manufactures. This allowed several different process to be completed on individual units before they were ready for site installation.

On many of the completed arches they were produced as a two part unit with the stone arches rebated to allow the introduction of the brick portion before their eventual lime mortar pre-pointing therefore allowing the delivery of fully completed arches, yet these modern pre-fabricated units once installed are indistinguishable from the traditionally laid materials surrounding them.