Proposed Technical Institute Oakengates

SELECTED DESIGN FOR THE TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, OAKENGATES. SALOP - The accompanying drawings show a new model of equipment for a technical institute in a small town to meet the up to date requirements of the Board of Education. A limited competition of architects specialising in schools was held, and the Board of Education assisted the Salop County Council in making an award. Mr. Herbt. H. Brown. FRIBA, FMSA, of 20, Brazennose Street, Manchester, was chosen, but his design has since been modified and improved upon, as here shown, to meet the latest official proposals, particularly in the contrivance of the various rooms to allow of their being used for alternative subjects on separate evenings, and so limit the size of the buildings. The plan allows also for making suitable provision for extensions in an easy manner. The elevations show an economical treatment in local bricks, stone sills, etc without any pretence to a monumental or an ornamental character, the effect being obtained from the arrangement of the windows and other essential features. The district of Oakengates is a very rough neighbourhood, situated in a coal mining and engineering centre, and the accommodation is made to meet the needs of the locality. The special features provided are:CThe central entrance giving immediate entry into the whole of the building, under control of the secretary or staff; easy access to the lavatories and cloakrooms and to the two staircases; the placing of the engineering wing and the art wing to be within easy reach of and under control from the entrance, yet well disconnected from the rest of the building as far as sound concerned; a ready provision for future extension; efficient cross ventilation: the location of the lavatories, cloakrooms, and wc.'s; the concentration of the plumbers' work, combined with the collection of rainwater from all the back roofs to use in several ways, and thus economise on water charges; and the ample light given in each room of the best possible aspect for the various classes. The engineering wing has a floor space of 2,500 square feet, and in lieu of the old prohibiting skylights a more sensible view has been adopted for the lighting of a one-storey shed by placing a row of sky lights along the north side, and so providing space on the wall to hang up charts, large scale details, templates, gauges, etc in a proper manner.  The accommodation  provided comprises mechanical laboratory experimental engine room, woodwork room,  clay modelling room, drawing office, art room, physics laboratory with stores, etc . five commercial classrooms staff rooms, chemical laboratory with balance room and dark room suitably for coal mine teaching, with windows arranged to shit up and exclude all light or air and special arrangement for rapid ventilation. benches in the metallurgy classes; and all the benchei in the laboratories will be so detailed as to be adaptable as table tops for teaching in a little geology, cereals, horticulture, and if necessary, for sewing, boot-making, and the like, so that scholars can be drawn from all parts of the town for any type of technical training In this institute accommodation is provided for more boys than girls, in the proportion as 3 is to 1. [Building News 3 October 1917 Page 277]

Reference           Building News 3 October 1917 Page 277