New Refectory Block For Lincoln College

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27404, 17 July 1954, Page 9

New Refectory Block For Lincoln College

The rich traditions of dining-halls in old English universities are suggested by the dimensions of the new refectory block at Canterbury Agricultural College, Lincoln, but in all other respects this handsome building, now nearing completion, is probably the most striking example of modern architecture executed on the grand scale in Canterbury. The entire length of the very large hall has floor-to-ceiling windows, on the sunny side. They rise in large panes for about 25 ieet. A big flagged terrace, red-tinted, runs along the frontage. Immediately arresting attention inside the building is the parquet floor, comprising wood tiles, each about nine inches square. Each tile is patterned by the clever integration and graded colours of 18 pieces of wood. High above, the wide cream rafters are fluted in rich red and the timbered ceiling is latticed in large squares. There are no stained-glass windows where the top'table will be placed, but modern architecture has contrived an effect which may be even jnore pleasing. The tall clear-glass windows have been sand-blasted with the crest and motto of Canterbury Agricultural College, and they frame an attractive view—lvey Hall, the original buildings of the first agricultural college in the Southern Hemisphere. The other end wall is pierced by apertures of a modern cinema projection room. Opposite the main windows the rear wall opens, by large vertically-lifting panels, into three large alcoves, the gleaming servery, and the kitchens. The casual observer may think that the college roll is about to increase considerably or that young men studying agriculture have enormous

appetites because the kitchen equipment seems so extensive; but the numbers now attending the college show that the facilities are well justified. Massive Kitchen Equipment The equipment is not yet all in position, but some of the units give a good idea of the scale of catering to be undertaken. There are three units, the size of coppers, fitted like giant pressure cookers. They are in fact steam pans, two of 30 gallons and one of 20 gallons, which will cook at 151 b pressure. There are two banks of storage heat stoves, the largest weighing 2J tons. There is another cake and pastry oven about 4ft square and 4ft deep. Two other steam ovens are of the size and appearance of office The electric mixer has a bowl as big as a family oven. There is plenty of bench and shelf space, and pantries open off the kitchen.

The cold storage space is as large as an ordinary kitchen. For meat there are two large rooms, for fish there is one the size of a telephone booth, and there is another of similar size for milk and other perishables. The meat rooms have direct access by insulated doors to the delivery bays at the rear of the building, and at the other end they open on to a convenient meat preparation room. There are several other preparation rooms, one of them with deep sinks for cleaning vegetables. The steam plant for heating and cooking alone occupies a considerable section of the block. Along the west wall there are cloakrooms, where entry is gained off the terrace and then, at the side of the kitchens, quarters for the preparation of lunches, ancr other store rooms.

When this block is completed and officially opened, it will be well worth public inspection.