Birmingham students build five-metre model of iconic Old Joe clock tower
Civil engineering students at the University of Birmingham have built a five-metre-tall model of Old Joe as part of a new hands-on project
Fifteen students worked together over five days to construct the scale model of the university's famous clock tower during Welcome Week.
The Big Brum Build took place at the National Buried Infrastructure Facility (NBIF) on campus, giving students the chance to put their classroom learning into practice.
The model was constructed using a large-scale stainless-steel system with a brick-slip façade, with the students involved in planning, project management, construction and problem-solving.
The design was created by academic experts from the University of Birmingham and engineers from AtkinsRéalis, including graduates of the university.
The structure uses a modular construction system, allowing it to be dismantled, stored and reused by future groups of students.
Professor Asaad Faramarzi, head of the Department of Civil Engineering, said the project could become a regular part of the university's civil engineering experience.
He said it also provided a new way of using the NBIF as an environment for educating and training future engineers.
Students Aisha Ganimusa and Maya Hopkins said the project provided an insight into working on a real construction site and helped develop their time management and problem-solving skills.
They said they also gained experience of practical construction logistics that they would not normally encounter until entering the industry.
The project forms part of a partnership between the university and AtkinsRéalis aimed at giving students practical workplace experience during their studies.
Old Joe, officially known as the Joseph Chamberlain Memorial Clock Tower, stands in Chancellor's Court and is around 100 metres tall. It is recognised as the world's tallest free-standing clock tower.