The Project
Construction of a new four storey building in the Chavasse Quad of St Peters College, Oxford is no mean feat however we are always up for a challenge and a challenge it was. A small but challenging project set in the heart of Oxford’s university centre.
Brought in by a relatively small main contractor to offer insight and expertise on the façade front it was clear they this project was going to involve a lot of design input from day 1 to achieve the feature double façade. Careful planning, selection of products and extreme attention to details eventually created a true masterpiece that now sits proud in its grounds and is certainly not out of place in its Victorian college surroundings.
Predominantly the main façade consists of an aluminium panel system with glazing elements forming the primary weathering layer, however through this comes support structure for the secondary solar shading element. Pushing the limits of what can be done with terracotta baguettes some spans reached in excess of 3m – not something that is easily done, but with some ingenuity in terms of reinforcement we found a way.
The building side returns area created with large flat terracotta panels, profiled to mimic the main facades baguette profiles, with some glazing mixed in for good measure.
Winner of numerous awards including the prestigious RIBA Regional South Building of the Year Winner 2018 and shortlisted for the Building Awards Small Project of the Year 2018 the building is truly a complement to the university and all who were involved in it’s construction.
