A major milestone in construction of The Box, has been reached with the structural completion of the building being marked with a ‘Topping Out Ceremony’.
The event for the £40 million building, which is now just 18 months away from opening to the public as part of Plymouth’s Mayflower 400 commemorations, was attended by staff, supporters, key partners and building contractors Willmott Dixon.
“Plymouth’s on a real cultural journey and The Box is a major part of this.”
As part of the ceremony, a giant piece of steel signed by attendees was hoisted up to the top of the new extension – the ‘box in the sky’ that’s been created to house thousands of important records and documents from the city’s archives.
Plymouth City Council Leader, Tudor Evans said:
“Plymouth’s on a real cultural journey and The Box is a major part of this. It’s a fantastic thing that we should all be proud of – in 2020 it’s going to be the biggest attraction of its kind opening in the UK! Loads of people are working really hard on it so today was a moment for us to celebrate that. We’ve reached the highest point of the building and it’s really exciting.”
Willmott Dixon director, Rob Woolcock said:
“This was about celebrating the people behind this project. From our supply chain partners to our local apprentices, the commitment and passion of everyone involved is clear to see. We know how important The Box is for the City of Plymouth, and we are immensely proud to be part of creating this new cultural centre for the city. I personally cannot wait to see the finished building.”
The next phase in the project will see the scaffolding on St Luke’s Church and the North Hill side of the former Museum and Art Gallery and Central Library buildings taken down.
Great progress has been made both on and offsite since the foundation stone was laid in the spring. On the building front, the concrete frame, cladding and rendering works have been completed. Behind the scenes, there have been further developments with The Box’s new permanent galleries, exhibitions, artistic commissions and events programme.
The next phase in the project will see the scaffolding on St Luke’s Church and the North Hill side of the former Museum and Art Gallery and Central Library buildings taken down. The installation of the curtain walling, or outer covering, to the new front entrance on Tavistock Place will also begin.
Councillor Ian Bowyer, Shadow Leader said:
“The ceremony is a reminder of the wide range of skills and partnership working needed for a huge development like The Box, and another really important milestone for the project. Now the structural work is complete and the building is taking shape in front of our eyes it’s also a reminder that we’re another step closer to opening.”
The Box is being designed by award-winning architects Atkins, representatives of whom were also at the Topping Out event.
James Harrison, Design Director, SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins business, said:
“Our designs for The Box are about celebrating the past while engaging a 21st century audience. We’re excited to see our concept design brought to life in construction, and for Plymouth to be getting state of the art facilities that celebrate its rich history.”
To stay up to date with The Box visit www.theboxplymouth.com, sign up for the newsletter or follow the project on Facebook and Twitter using @theboxplymouth.
Huge success for ‘The Box on Tour’
Family raves, Beryl Cook and memories of Maker camp are helping the team behind the Box change what Plymouth people think about culture – long before the city’s exciting attraction opens its doors.
A staggering 41,500 people have enjoyed a wide range of events designed to draw out memories and stories since January this year and 5,800 volunteers have helped make these happen.
Deputy Leader of the Council Pete Smith said:
“The Box has always been about more than just a building. It is about getting people to tell their stories and to rightly be proud of their city and the people who live here.”
The Box on Tour community engagement programme, largely funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, has seen hugely-successful pop-up galleries in the Council House including At Home with Beryl Cook and a display on the Blitz and reconstruction of Plymouth in the 1940s and 50s in 2017, which is now in the House of Fraser. The programme also played a part in the 70th anniversary of the NHS with a display at Derriford Hospital’s main entrance.
Plymouth’s young people are being involved in planning The Box and have been testing the development of sessions for families while teachers from city schools have been engaged with planning educational opportunities including a ‘masterclass’ offer and access to range of experts which will help raise aspirations for less engaged pupils.
More about The Box in numbers
• 49,883 people got involved in Box-related events last year
• 61 people will employed in The Box
70 per cent pf the sub-contractors and consultants working on building Box are based in Plymouth
• 17,600 people visited temporary exhibitions in the Council House in 2017
• 10,000 people have viewed the ‘Plymouth – From Destruction to Construction’ exhibition on floor 5 of the House of Fraser
• 500 extra jobs in tourism as a result
• 30 hard hat tours for the public have been held on site
• Over 412 waged training weeks (apprenticeships) on the construction site completed
• 14 construction industry qualifications achieved by workers on site
• Over 60 per cent of the workforce live within 10 miles of the site
