THE NEW TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3002, 27 September 1911, Page 9

THE NEW TECHNICAL SCHOOL.

MR H. MANDENO'S DESIGN ! ACCEPTED. At last week's meeting of the Dunedin Technical School managers the committee appointed for the purpose brought down a report on tho competitive designs for the new KLn|g -Edward Technical School. This report read as follows : .' _ "The competition closed on Friday. 15th inst., and on Saturday the 11 designs received were examined and discussed at length by the members of your committee. On the following Monday the assessor, Mr J. S- Turnbull, architect, Timoru, and the director went critically through the plans, and selected four for. the special consideration of the committee. At a sitting of tee committee held the same evening the elevation and details of planning of the&ejour designs were contrasted and explained at length to the committee by the assessor, who was asked to report on the 'following day, when he had considered the question of cost. His report, received and- adpoted at Tuesday afternoon's meeting, places design No. 6 first, No. 10 second, No. 8 third; Youir committee, therefore, recommends that, (1) provided funds are forthcoming, and (2) provided an undertaking is given by I the architect that the total cos* of building, 1 Tvith the alterations suggested by the committee will not exceed the limit allowed—namely, £20,000, plus 10 per cent.—tho author of No. 6 design be employed to prepare the necessary drawings. At this stage time is an important factor, and, therefore, in order to facilitate the re-arrangement of details necessitated by suggested alterations, your committee ask for le-appointment, with full power to act." ! The Chairman remarked that it said a good deal for Dunedin architects that 10 designs should have been received. plan had some good point. Mr Turnbull. their assessor, had done a good deal of school-building, and had made a study of technical school buildings, and had. therefore, been in a position to advise them. The report was adopted. On opening th« envelopes, it was found that the winning design (No. 6) was that of Mr H. Mandleno; Mr E. S. Anscombe 9 was second, and Mr E W. Walden's third. On the suggestion.of Mr Tatter, it was decided not to open the envelopes of the remaining competitors. The prizes offered were—first, £150; second, £75; thirdi, £35. The winning design provides for a rectangular building, with the main elevation to Stuart street. Though necessarily plain, it will still have a handsome, imposing appearance. The frontage is 265 ft in length, and the structure will have two complete storeys and a ground floor. The base will bl in squared bluestone, and the upper portion of red brick, with Gamaru stone facings. The roof will be of Marseilles tiles. The. main entrance will be in keeping with the rest «of; the building, and will have big swing doors, and be approached by steps. The entranoes to the ground floor are at either end. There will be two large areas in the centre of the building, thus ensuring direct lighting. In fact, the lighting ar- : rangemente constitute a feature in themselves. The corridors will be all directly lit, and electric light will be installed throughout. A wide corridor will run through the building from end to end, and on either side will be the class-rooms. The workshops will all be placed at the rear, and connected with their various departments, by covered ways. Half of the lower ground floor; will be used for class-rooms, and the remainder will accommodate the heating plant, and be used for general storage and other purposes. The girls' class rooms will be at one end of the building, andi the boys' rooms at the other end, and the lavatory accommodation throughout will be very complete. Special attention has been given to tho science and domestic, departments. In the latter, provision has been made for four coal ranges and three gas stoves, and for model kitchen and dining rooms, as well as lecture and practical work rooms- All the rooms that are to be used for class "work or teaching purposes will have direct sunlight at some hour of the day. The height of the struc-. ture from the lower ground floor to the ridge will be approximately 50ft. Cartways ' will be mad© round one end and along the i back of the building, and in other respects careful attention has been given to minor details. | Mr Mandeno is practically a youncr man, but has, nevertheless, had a good deal of experience in .his profession. He had six years' experience of practical building work j in Dunedin, and then served three years » with Mr P. Y. Wales, and for a* similar term w.c's in the service of Mr E. Anscombe. It is only within the last two months that he has started in business on his own ac--1 count, and it is no little distinction to have ' achieved such success within that short period. I The design will be Rent on to Wei ling- , ton for the department's 'approval, and as j sooti a® the Government intimates that the I money will bo paid, tenders will be called ! for the building. As inevitably follows, a comparison of the plans shows that each "could be imiwoved by adopting suggestions from the others, and it is probable that several alterations of a .minor character will I be effected in the accepted design.