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Lime Wood Primary School in Erith, Kent, uses bespoke Forma metal column casings from Encasement’s Verta range to hide structural steel supports in its circular building. The manufacturer’s 29 November 2023 case study reports ten supports around part of the circumference, each enclosed by a casing about 750 mm in diameter, made from 2 mm aluminium and between 5.2 m and 5.5 m high. The casings are finished in PPC RAL 9020 Chrome Green, with removable access panels included on some units.
That installation is a specific project solution, not a standard off-the-shelf product size. Architects, contractors and school facilities teams considering a similar detail should treat the dimensions and finish as manufacturer-reported case-study information, then confirm structural interfaces, access requirements, fire strategy, current materials and drawings before specifying.
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What the Lime Wood installation achieves
Lime Wood Primary School is described by Encasement as a three-storey school for up to 630 pupils, serving children from nursery through year six. Its plan is circular rather than a conventional rectangular block. Structural supports are therefore visible risks to the intended architectural language: left untreated, large steel members could interrupt views, circulation routes and the relationship between the classrooms, courtyard and play areas.
Forma casings provide a finished enclosure around those supports. The case study says ten structural supports sit around part of the circular perimeter. Concealing them allows access between the play areas, central courtyard and classrooms while preserving a continuous, deliberately designed interior and exterior edge. Extensive glazing brings daylight to both the inner and outer sides of the ring, so the casing finish is seen from more than one direction and has to work with the building’s overall colour scheme.
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The casing is architectural rather than structural: it hides and protects the steel support without replacing the support’s engineering function. The project description does not publish the steel sections, connection design, load calculations or fire strategy, so those remain matters for the project’s structural and fire consultants.
Reported dimensions and construction
Encasement’s project account gives the following dimensions for the Lime Wood casings. They describe the installed project and should not be read as a universal Verta module or a guaranteed tolerance for another building.
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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11| Item | Reported Lime Wood specification |
|---|---|
| Casing type | Forma metal column casing from the Verta range |
| Section diameter | 750 mm |
| Material | Aluminium |
| Material thickness | 2 mm |
| Height range | 5.2 m to 5.5 m |
| Finish | PPC RAL 9020 Chrome Green |
| Access provision | Removable access panels on some units |
| Quantity described | Ten structural supports around part of the circumference |
The case study does not state the panel joint arrangement, fixing system, base detail, head termination, substrate tolerances or whether every support received an access panel. Those details must be developed from coordinated drawings for the actual steelwork and surrounding construction.
Why the colour matters in a circular school
Encasement identifies the finish as PPC RAL 9020 Chrome Green. The manufacturer links the colour to the school’s wider design, local history and ecological aspects. In a circular building with glazing on both sides of the perimeter, a column casing is read as part of the wayfinding and interior palette, not merely as a cover around a service.
For a new project, the colour decision should be recorded alongside the architectural finish schedule. Confirm the coating system, gloss level, substrate preparation, edge treatment and repair procedure with the casing manufacturer and the project’s coating or corrosion specialist. The published project description names the colour but does not provide a coating performance class, warranty period, colour-retention test or independent weathering result.
How the casings support the building’s circulation strategy
Perimeter supports become part of the architecture
The ten supports are positioned around only part of the circumference, according to the case study. Their enclosure creates a repeated vertical rhythm that can help a circular plan feel intentional. It also prevents exposed steel from competing visually with the school’s glazing and courtyard views.
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Glazing makes both faces visible
Natural light reaches the inner and outer sides of the circular structure through extensive glazing. That condition increases the importance of a consistent finish: occupants can see the casings from classrooms and circulation spaces, while people in play areas or the courtyard can see the opposite face. It also means that junctions, panel lines and shadow gaps should be resolved as visible architectural details.
Movement remains legible
The project account connects the supports with routes between play areas, the central courtyard and classrooms. A casing should not reduce the clear width required for those routes or create corners that conflict with safeguarding, cleaning or furniture movement. The 750 mm diameter reported for Lime Wood is a project dimension, not a minimum or maximum for every school; the structural section, required clearance and accessibility strategy determine the correct size elsewhere.
Access panels and long-term maintenance
Some Lime Wood units include removable access panels for inspection and maintenance. An access panel is valuable where the steel, connections, protective systems or adjacent services may need periodic inspection, but it introduces a visible joint that must be coordinated with the design.
- Map every item that may require access, including steel connections, inspection points, damp-proofing interfaces and nearby services.
- Place panels where a technician can reach and remove them without moving fixed classroom equipment or entering a safeguarding-sensitive area.
- Coordinate hinges, fasteners, lifting points and panel weight with the installer; the case study does not state which hardware was used.
- Keep a record of panel locations in the facilities manual so a future team does not treat the casing as permanently sealed.
- Check that removal does not damage the PPC finish and that the panel can be refitted without changing the casing’s alignment.
The published information confirms panels on some units but does not define an inspection interval or maintenance regime. Those requirements belong in the employer’s requirements, access strategy and handover documentation.
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Verta material options beyond the installed metal casing
Encasement describes several Verta casing materials. The Lime Wood installation uses Forma metal; the other options should not be assumed to have been used at the school.
| Verta material described by the manufacturer | Reported setting | Specification implication |
|---|---|---|
| Forma metal | Interior or exterior projects | Used for the reported Lime Wood casings; project dimensions were 750 mm diameter, 2 mm aluminium and 5.2–5.5 m height. |
| GRP | Interior or exterior projects | Consider where a non-metallic casing is appropriate, subject to current technical data and the project fire and durability requirements. |
| MDF | Interior use only | Suitable only where the casing remains within the manufacturer’s stated interior scope. |
| Plywood | Interior use only | Specify for interior applications after checking the required finish, moisture exposure and fire strategy. |
| GRG | Interior use only | Use only within the manufacturer’s stated interior application and after coordinating the support and finish build-up. |
The material descriptions are application guidance, not a complete performance comparison. The available project account does not establish prices, fire ratings, acoustic values, thermal performance, embodied-carbon figures or life-cycle impacts for any option. Confirm current specifications with Encasement before committing a material.
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A practical specification workflow for a similar project
1. Survey the support and its surroundings
Record the steel section, connection zones, base and head conditions, plumbness, neighbouring walls, glazing, floor build-ups and required maintenance clearances. Survey several points over the full height; a circular casing must accommodate real deviations rather than an idealised elevation.
2. Set the finished envelope
Define the required diameter or profile from the steel size, protection layers, movement allowance, access needs and circulation clearances. The Lime Wood figure of 750 mm is a useful precedent, not a template. Establish the finished outside dimension in the architectural and accessibility drawings.
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3. Decide where the casing opens
Identify inspection and service points before fabrication. A removable panel may be needed on one face, several faces or at different levels. Show the panel outline, fixing method, removal direction and working space on the coordinated drawing.
4. Select the material and application
Use the manufacturer’s interior/exterior classifications as the first filter. For an exposed or semi-exposed location, compare Forma metal and GRP against the project’s corrosion, impact, moisture, cleaning and fire requirements. Keep MDF, plywood and GRG within the stated interior scope.
5. Coordinate the finish
Specify the colour, sheen and acceptable sample range. For a scheme inspired by Lime Wood, RAL 9020 Chrome Green is the reported project colour, but a new project should approve a physical sample under the actual lighting conditions. Confirm how site damage, cut edges and replacement panels will be repaired.
6. Obtain fabrication information
Encasement says its technical information includes DWG and PDF drawings, NBS specification clauses and literature. Request the current versions and check that they match the selected material, dimensions, fixing arrangement, access panels and exposure. Do not rely on a historic drawing when the support or finish has changed.
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7. Inspect before closing up
Before final installation, verify the steel survey, casing dimensions, panel operation, finish quality, clearances and alignment. Photograph concealed interfaces and place access-panel locations on the handover drawings. The project account does not publish an installation checklist, so the contractor should agree inspection and hold points in the quality plan.
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- Structural coordination: confirm that the casing is non-load-bearing and does not obstruct bolted or welded connections, fire protection or movement joints.
- Fire strategy: obtain the required reaction-to-fire and fire-resistance evidence for the complete build-up, including substrate, insulation, coatings, joints and access panels. No fire rating is provided in the project account.
- Weather exposure: verify drainage, ventilation, corrosion protection and joint sealing where a casing is outside or adjacent to openable glazing. The manufacturer’s durability and weather-resistance statements are claims in the case study, not independent test findings.
- Cleaning: agree a method that will not abrade the PPC finish or leave residue on the green coating, particularly at child-height areas.
- Accessibility: check the casing diameter against circulation widths, turning spaces and furniture routes rather than copying the Lime Wood dimension.
- Safeguarding: avoid accessible footholds, sharp edges, removable fasteners or concealed voids that conflict with the school’s safeguarding assessment.
- Handover: provide drawings, panel keys or tools, finish information, cleaning instructions and a replacement-panel process to the facilities team.
What is established about the project—and what is not
The project information comes from Encasement’s 29 November 2023 case study. Buildingtalk republished the same description on that date; it is not independent confirmation. No statement from Woodland Academy Trust, the architect, structural engineer or contractor is included in the cited account.
Accordingly, the following points are established as manufacturer-reported project details: Lime Wood Primary School is in Erith, Kent; it is operated by Woodland Academy Trust according to the manufacturer; the building is described as three storeys for up to 630 pupils; ten supports are described around part of the circular perimeter; and the casings are reported as 750 mm diameter, 2 mm aluminium, 5.2–5.5 m high, with PPC RAL 9020 Chrome Green finish and access panels on some units.
The account does not establish a purchase price, installation duration, independent weathering performance, fire classification, acoustic performance, embodied-carbon result, warranty or measured service life. Those omissions matter when a school moves from precedent to procurement. Ask for current evidence that matches the exact material, exposure and assembly being specified.
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When this casing approach makes sense
A bespoke metal casing is a strong fit when structural supports are prominent, repeated and visible from several sides, as in a glazed circular school. It gives the architect control over diameter, height, colour and access-panel placement while keeping the steel’s engineering role separate from the architectural finish.
It is less straightforward where supports are hidden in walls, where the available circulation is extremely tight, or where the required fire or acoustic build-up has not been demonstrated. In those situations, the design team should compare a casing with an integrated wall lining or another tested enclosure rather than assuming that a decorative cover solves every coordination problem.
The Lime Wood precedent is most useful as a disciplined way to begin: survey the steel, set a project-specific envelope, plan maintenance access, choose a material for the actual exposure and obtain current technical documentation. The reported 750 mm aluminium casings show how a circular school can make structural necessities visually coherent without pretending that one bespoke dimension fits every building.
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