Major refurbishment and repurposing of older buildings on the Headington campus (BGS Architects, 2017-2019)

The extensive work on the Clerici and Sinclair buildings merits their inclusion here, as they have effectively been reborn, with fresh new façades and many new spaces. The Clerici building, which housed the library, and main hall and lecture theatre, now accommodates the Business School, teaching rooms and study spaces, along with the Sir Kenneth Wheare Hall. The hall can function as a large single space or be divided by a sound-proof partition into two lecture theatres.

The Sinclair building and its annex, formerly the students union, now houses laboratories including the Bio-imaging Unit, designed in collaboration with Arup’s Advanced Technology and Research team. The new façades on both buildings, and their remodelled courtyard spaces, transform the two buildings along similar lines to the John Henry Brookes and Abercrombie buildings (Design Engine, 2012-14). The style may be tough and industrial, but the scheme has brought open and well-lit spaces and a renewed sense of purpose to this campus.

Awards: OPT Award 2018

Headington Campus, Oxford, OX3 0BP