I’m sticking with you…
When devising innovative solutions to construction conundrums, SOAS is poles apart from other design and build projects. This week – magnets.
In construction, the floor is usually one of the first things to be finished – which makes sense because otherwise the contractors would have to jetpack around the building site. However, once the floor has been laid, it has to be fitted with a protective covering to avoid the inevitable dirt and damage. This takes time and creates waste – particularly repellent on our build.
SOAS is about to become home to a pioneering new magnetic flooring technology. A steel flooring structure is to be constructed, which doesn’t require the usual levels of protection. The contractors can work on the hard-wearing floor, saving time and reducing the usual amount of construction waste. At the end of the project, the steel just needs to be cleaned and magnet-backed wooden flooring panels are laid on top of the magnetic steel, giving an attractive finish.
From the ground up – or rather, the magnetic floor to the glass roof – the North Block project will be a force to be reckoned with. One word of warning – don’t try lifting the magnetic wooden panels. The magnets are so strong you need a special device to lift them.