Case Study – Education
Project: Orbis doorsets for Pathfinder Academy
Designed: Architects Co-Partnership
Main Contractor: Kier Build
Pathfinder Academy
290 Orbis Timber Doorsets with ironmongery have been supplied for the £22M Havelock Academy, a ‘pathfinder’ for the development of new teaching and learning environments in NE Lincolnshire Council’s BSF Programme. The International Baccalaureate World School status building, designed by Architects Co-Partnership and built by Kier Build, is in the form of a two-storey 'pentagon star'. Four of the five wings are for the eight school houses with the fifth used for the Learning Resource Centre. Kier’s policy of open communication with suppliers such as Laidlaw contributed to the success of the project as Kier Build Design Co-ordinator Clare Canty commented.
“On this project we bought the doors and associated ironmongery direct from Laidlaw and free-issued them to the joinery subcontractor for installation. Involvement of Laidlaw’s Projects Manager from the design stage was key as the company has a good understanding of our business. This enabled us to work with the client to find products that met their needs within budget. Dialogue with Laidlaw was maintained throughout the project”.
The new accommodation will provide classrooms and teaching areas designed to current DCSF guidance. The doorsets were a mix of Bio-Oak laminate and Coloured Laminate. This enabled classroom doors to be in the eight house colours - red, orange, pink, blue, grey, green, yellow and purple. Centurion ironmongery, the agreed range under the Education Agreement with Kier, was supplied in Satin Aluminium, together with pull handles and roller bolt locks from the Orbis Classic range.
Pull handles were the preferred choice for classrooms to limit the potential for wear on moving ironmongery.
Nancy Covello, Associate at Architects Co-Partnership added, “The Laidlaw team were very helpful throughout the design and construction process, providing guidance and technical advice as needed. We found it particularly beneficial for design coordination having one supplier of both doors and ironmongery.”