TECHNICAL COLLEGE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 148, 25 June 1931, Page 6

TECHNICAL COLLEGE

NEW HOSTEL BUILDING. With the completion of the new hostel in Purnell Street for the Techni cal College, Wanganui will have another building uf which the city may be justly proud. Pleasing architecture, together with excellent workmanship, has brought forth a very line structure. Only the best has been used. Where possible the materials are either of Dominion or of the Empire origin. Labour has been recruited from Wanganui as far as possible. Standing on a commanding site above the road, the building rises two storeys from a wide, arched portico. With cream the main colour, green shutters on the upper windows, and the red North Island tiles above that, the new hostel has a dignity and a nearness that befits it well. It, is a building of corridors, thus spreading the rooms and allowing a maximum of light and air. Windows are many, and with no high wings next each other, tho windows have ample play for their utility. From the main entrance a corridor

runs the whole depth of tho building To the right, across the front, is th' “prep.” room—so feet long by 29 wide A coved ceiling adds to its height. Bal ancing that room, on the opposite sid' of the building, is another, identical ii every respect. Each has an open lire place, whieh should provide cheerful ness. Behind the dining room is the serv cry, and behind that the kitchen, wit) its excellent appointments. A slidi leads from the kitchen to the servery where two doors will allow one traffic. In the middle uf the kitchen i: the big gas cooker, with hoods ove them to take the fumes away. The sinh and bench combined will have a toj of rustless steel so that dirt and watei can be easily and effectively dealt with Hot water for the kitchen will be pro vided by a separate heater. In the fyont, on the first floor, wil be tho director’s rooms, his study being on the ground floor. Maids’ and cooks rooms will be on the first floor. Then will be a sitting-room where they maj rest without having to be any distance away. Across the building al the back are the four dormitories. They run outward iu twos from the corridor, one above the other. All arc identical, each to take 20 beds, .10 on each side. The rooms are wide and airy, with plenty of sunlight. Beyond the dormitories arc the shower-rooms and the bath-rooms. The hot water will be provided by another heater. Throughout the hostel, whercevor there will be water as in a bathroom, the flooring is Terazzo marble. It is of marble chips, set In cement, then smoothed off and polished. Corridors arc faced with cement to the dado, to provide for wear, while above that is a white Keens finish. The rooms are white. Woodwork iu the doors and facings is polished riniu. To obviate dampness, the ground under the whole of the building has been covered with gravel, and theu that given a spraying of bitumen. Wherever there will be traffic, the flooring is of wood, so that it will be warm. The heating of the building will be done by hot air. With all the outside doors closed, and all the inside doors open, the warm air wil spread through out every room. Tho contractors, the Fletcher Con st ruction Company, expect to have the building completed well before contract, time.