University of Northampton celebrates milestone topping out ceremony at new Waterside Campus

The Senate Building at the University of Northampton’s new Waterside Campus was the first building to be ‘topped out’, with an official ceremony taking place on Tuesday 25 April 2017.

The construction work on the £330 million project began in October 2015 with Bower and Kirkland appointed as the main building contractor and is due to be completed by September 2018.

The Senate Building has been to designed host guest lectures, exhibitions and events, as well as providing flexible learning space designed to encourage students and staff from difference subject areas to work together.

In building construction, ‘topping out’ is traditionally the ceremony held when the structural frame to a new building is complete. To mark this milestone occasion, a final glass balustrade was fixed to the outside terrace on the fourth floor by the University’s Pro Chancellor David Laing.

David was joined by Vice Chancellor Professor Nick Petford, John Kirkland, Chairman of Bowmer and Kirkland, Matthew Vickerstaff, Deputy Chief Executive of the Infrastructure and Projects Authority, as well as representatives from the University, the construction industry and the local community.

Professor Nick Petford said: “Over the past 18 months, progress has been considerable by all of our contractors and their representatives and I would like to formally thank them for their efforts.

“In less than sixteen months, this site will be the home to 14,000 students and 2,000 staff comprising those contributing to the University’s learning, teaching and research endeavours. I am incredibly proud of the opportunity to lead the University during this significant period in the history of higher education not only in Northampton and the county but also in the country.”