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OPAL 1 DUNDEE TOPPING OUT CEREMONY
Ancient tradition helped to mark the topping out ceremony at Opal 1 Dundee, Opal's first development in Scotland, is due to welcome their first students in September 2010.
Gavin Duncan, National Operations Manager of Opal and Clive Williamson, Managing Director of Ocon Construction, were joined by Nigel Hawkins, Chairman and Principal of the University of Abertay Dundee (UAD) and Professor Bernard King CBE, Principal and Vice-Chancellor University of Abertay Dundee, to celebrate structural completion of the 498 bedroom student accommodation scheme.
VIP guests were escorted to the top of the building to take part in a traditional topping out ceremony which involved the laying of wheat, oil, a yew tree branch and an Abertay memory stick on a concrete plinth with a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion for posterity. The yew tree branch is placed on the uppermost part of the building to appease tree-dwelling spirits whilst the wheat symbolises abundance and the oil symbolises liberty and prosperity.
The tradition was updated with the addition of a memory stick, including a talent show reel featuring work from Abertay’s computer arts and animation students, games from the BAFTA-nominated Dare to be Digital Teams and a collection of short films showing life at Abertay in 2010 to make the ceremony personal to this scheme.
Opal 1 Dundee will have a higher specification than most university accommodation buildings and has been constructed to ‘Hotel Standards’ Consisting of larger bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms to meet the needs of both students and visiting conference delegates.
'This will be a highly significant addition to our city centre campus in Dundee' commented Professor King, 'and it will greatly strengthen and consolidate our presence in the city. I am extremely impressed with the progress on the project and the quality of construction. I am sure our students will enjoy living here and I look forward to seeing Opal 1 Dundee open its doors to its first residents in September'.
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