• v OTAGO UNIVERSITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2810, 22 January 1908, Page 37

• v OTAGO UNIVERSITY. -

NEW SCHOOL OF .MINES BUILDIN& THE APPROVED, DESIGNS. \ ,The new building .for the*. School of Alines at 'Otago University, for 'which Mr ■Edmund? An'sconibe's "designs have been iG'elect^J ' by the University Council, will iii '■general* outside' appearance \ be . in. "conformity _ with the • architecture of the main, blockv of University" buildings. "' An 1 in-, speciion- <of Mr- Anscombe's plans, shows very- careful «nd -clevelr 'workm-anshipv ' The front, , though- artistic, is noi^ elaborate, and -will constitute", an attractive addition to that portion" of the city. The' new building will face Union street, to which it will have a frontage of :60ft lOin, extending towa*rds Leith " street from the edge of the* 1 Water of Leith. -The~ depth will be >Oft' 6in, and 'with a heigljt from footpath' 1 to ridge of 56ft." The building wjll comprisea- cellar and basement," the latter being 9ft high, and two storeys each 14fC in height, with- an attic 10ft high and 58ft by 16ft lOin.': - TKe main' rooms' in the basement will be a fire assaying room 20ft lOin by 23ft llin,' workshop 20ft lOin by 16ft, amalgamation room 2'ofi lOin by lOfj; lOin, photographio laboratory 20ft lOin by lift, dark /room, store. rooms, etc. A* . ' - A roomy vestibule gives -.access into the main entrance hall on the first floor from the University grounds. . This hall ie 12ffc by 19ft 6in, and from it an easily-graded stairway leads to -the „ floor alone. On the ground floor provision is made for the wet assaying laboratory, 24ft llin by 21ft 9in ; metallurgy lecture room, 21ft 9in by 17ft; students' room. 12ft by 12ft; metallurgist* laboratory, 19ft 9in by /9ft; metallurgist's room, 12ft sin~ by' l2ft; and' boiling "room, 12ft sin.by lift. - ■> v \ ' On .the second floor is, located .the mining lecture room, 21ft- ll£m -by 20ft 4in, ana immediately behind is the drawing room, 21ft lliin by 17ft. These two rooms are partitioned on, the accordion, principle, so that when required. -..they can -he thrown into ' one. Thfe accordion partition is the latest ,~ and - most '»up-tp-,date -umproyement on the old mode of /subdividing by' meansof folding doors. The other compartments. i on the second floor area geological museum, \ 21ft lliin by 19ft 6in; and a geological lecture room, 21ft ll£in by 17ft. In addij fcicwi, there is also provision for a geologist's room and a director's room. i The building will be constructed of Leitht Valley bluestone, with Oamaru stone facings. The inner walls and ceilings will bo finished in plaster, with a plain carved cornice. The interior woodwork is of heart of rimu,- with natural finish. The woodwork in the vestibule and staircase halls will be rubbed with pumice stone and ( orudo oil, which gives a very pleasant finish. Generally, the floors will be oi wood, but that of the basement over the cellar will be of reinforced . concrete. Tha roof will be composed of slates: The design, in addition to providing for the School of Mines, also makes provision) for a future extension of the buildings irp .to the I.eith street boundary.- When this is rarried out. the main entrance to the University will be through' a handsoniearchway, flanked by two octagonal towers. The extension to Leith street from the archway, is. of course, a facsimile of the front elevation of the School of Mines.. , Throughout, the plans appear to provide' for all requirements, and to. give a buildinp 1 worthy of the importance of the Otago Mining School. . '