Art competition brightens new build
The new teaching block on the Gorseinon campus of Gower College Swansea is progressing well and is scheduled for completion by the end of August, in readiness for the start of the new academic year.
A competition was launched earlier in the year for Art students across the college to create work to decorate the hoardings which surround the building site. The quantity of the submission enabled the entire length to be covered, creating a very colourful outdoor gallery! Choosing a winner proved quite a challenge for the judges - Kay Morgan, Vice Principal Academic Services, Paul Harris, Vice Principal Corporate Services, and Colin Cornelius, Chair of Governors as, not only was there quantity, but also excellent quality. The judging, which took place at the end of term, was followed by a presentation in the new student common room area at Gorseinon.
Kier, the building contractors for the new build, sponsored the competition and provided the prizes. The company was represented by Gareth Killa, the Project Manager, Adele Lloyd, Design Manager, and Josh Ferryman, an Apprentice Engineer with the company.
Jasmine Ann Jones, who is on the first year of the Art and Design Level 3 course at the Llwyn y Bryn campus, was declared the winner and received a voucher for £50. The brief for the competition required work to be created in the style of an established artist. Jasmine explained her creative process: “The development of my piece started with a video clip from the Sound of Music where “My Favourite Things” is sung by Julie Andrews. This helped me to think about my favourite things and how I could incorporate them into my piece, which was inspired by the work of Michael-Craig Martin. Martin’s work focuses on found objects, so I thought about my favourite objects and the outcome of this was DVDs, shoes, make up and grooming tools!”
Runners up, Grace Elizabeth Ross and Rebecca Alexandra Dunne, each received a voucher for £25. All those who entered received a pack of art materials.
The new teaching block will provide 18 teaching rooms for the humanities, IT and languages. It has a gymnasium on the ground floor with male, female and accessible shower facilities. The building is being designed to BREEAMS* (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Methods) Excellent level and will have photovoltaic panels producing some 23kWhs of electricity on the roof. Other sustainable initiatives include LED lighting and high efficiency spray taps. Safe cycle storage for 50 cycles will be built as part of the scheme.
When IT classes move into the new facilities it will then be possible for the Library to expand into existing classroom space, doubling in area with enhanced provision for students.