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PORTSMOUTH | The Blade | 101m | 33 fl | Prep

40K views 93 replies 28 participants last post by  Amrafel 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
The Blade is the newest addition to Portsmouth's skyline. Standing at just over 100m, it will be the tallest building in the city, and the 2nd tallest structure after the 170m Spinnaker Tower. The building, being developed by the University of Portsmouth, will contain 598 student bedrooms, as well as a teaching facility for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Science. The building will have a lecture theatre and catering facilities for use by the local community. The tower stands on Anglesea Road, on the edge of Victoria Park, adjacent to the City Centre.
Opinions on the tower are divided, with English Heritage worrying about its impact on the nearby Guildhall, a Grade II listed structure. Concerns have been voiced about its height, bulk and the casting of shadows, particularly over Victoria Park. However, the building has been designed with this in mind, intended to cast minimal shadow on the park. Portsmouth Society backed the scheme, saying a tall building in this location would be "appropriate and exciting".
The project was approved at the end of April, and preparatory works have now begun.

Renders:








The site currently, taken by me earlier today:










 
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#9 ·
Very quick update from today - they appear to be taking down the hoarding around the Blade site and replacing the wooden fencing that keeps the hoarding stable (there were a couple of trucks from some fencing company, one of which you can see below). Not sure if they're planning to re-install the same hoarding afterwards, or replace the site barrier entirely. Didn't have time to stop for any length of time (was on my way to an exam!) but I got a picture:

 
#15 ·
Watkins Jones to start £30m Portsmouth Blade tower
Aaron Morby | Tue 14th June | 7:38

Construction group Watkins Jones starts work this week on a 33-storey landmark tower for Portsmouth University.

Portsmouth City Council last week gave its seal of approval to the student accommodation block dubbed the blade tower, which will be built on the site of the former Victoria Baths in the city centre.

The project designed by Architecture PLB consists of a main 108m high building with rooms for 600 students, and a second, smaller 4,600 sq m building to be shared by the Institute of Criminal Justice Studies and the School of Education & Continuing Studies.

Test piling has been completed and Rock & Alluvium will start foundation work this week.

Watkins Jones’ specialist accommodation arm is handling the project and has signed up Stephenson Construction for the concrete frame.

All other packages are up for grabs including a steel frame portal for the smaller academic building.

http://www.constructionenquirer.com/2011/06/14/watkins-jones-to-start-30m-portsmouth-blade-tower/?
:)
 
#21 ·
Fire safety fears over £30m ‘blade’ student building

Published on Thursday 16 June 2011 12:16

SENIOR firefighters are holding talks with the developer of a new city landmark amid concerns over its safety.

Fire officials are worried that the new 330ft ‘blade’ building – accommodation for 600 University of Portsmouth students – will not have sprinklers.

They want the safety measures to be included in the £30m 33-storey building, which will be built on the site of the old Victoria Baths swimming centre. Adding a sprinkler system would cost up to an estimated £400,000.

In an official statement from the service, Deputy Chief Officer Dave Curry said: ‘We’re working with the building’s developer, Watkin-Jones and discussing the risk and safety issues of the proposed student accommodation at Victoria Park.

‘Clearly, as a potential future landmark building in Portsmouth, we would expect to see the very highest levels of safety to be included in the design.

‘We will ask the university and the developer to consider including sprinklers in the design to ensure the safety of the future occupants.

‘This and other fire safety provisions are especially relevant when we know that the future occupants will be students – a known high risk group.’

Under law, hotels and halls of residence are not required to have sprinklers. This is because they are managed buildings and must have additional safety measures such as strict evacuation procedures.

But a Portsmouth-based firefighter told The News: ‘Sprinkler systems can reduce some of the risks we face entering tall buildings.

‘They are there to help people inside the buildings, who could be seriously injured or killed by quickly spreading fire.

‘Sprinklers are a first defence against serious fires spreading. They should go back and add them to the plans.’

The Blade was given planning permission by Portsmouth City Council in April this year.

It had passed all building regulations.

University Vice Chancellor John Turner said: ‘The building will not be fitted with a sprinkler system.

‘Stringent evacuation procedures will be in place.

‘In the event of a fire an automatic alarm is triggered and on detection of a confirmed fire, there is immediate evacuation of the building to a place of safety.’

The university’s Students’ Union president Aakash Naik said: ‘New students are taught about fire risk, with a DVD issued when they arrive, so hopefully that will reduce risk.

‘Sprinklers would be sensible, but I’m sure the university won’t risk students’ safety.

http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/lo...ars_over_30m_blade_student_building_1_2779902
:eek:hno:
 
#22 ·
^^ I don't understand why you're shaking your head. Fire prevention is an extremely important message and I think it's absolutely right to consider that students are a high risk group so every precaution should be taken. I'm all for tall building but as an ex-firefighter I can't stress enough the importance of prevention. What you don't want to do is wait until it's too late because there ain't no going back!
 
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