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The rooftop gym is a special space, giving memorable views across the college buildings and grounds. Supervision rooms and other teaching spaces are on the ground floor, as are staff offices and a very popular café. Student rooms occupy the first and second floors, and their geometry is cleverly used to ensure appropriate privacy while retaining a feeling of openness and light. A large format brick clad concrete frame accommodates well-proportioned, comfortable rooms, and by balancing the elevation grid with panels of open bond brickwork, which come alive at night when lit from behind, a subtly resonant feel is achieved, in tune with the century-old neighbouring buildings without directly referencing them. The new building itself is both practical and elegant, drawing inspiration from its well-crafted predecessors. Creating a new spine through the college, starting with a delightful, small enclosed garden space at the interface, there is also a strong visual connection to the new main courtyard at the junction with the existing college buildings which facilitates the integration of new and old. Furthermore, by adopting a wrap-around plan the new building was able to form an intimate landscaped courtyard that sits well and contrasts with the extensive grounds and large open spaces created by Basil Champneys.Īlso, the new building is perfectly positioned to accommodate the main College entrance and porter’s lodge. Not only did it tidy up this back end of the college, it also added an element that completed the college’s enclosure.

Their analysis of the site led them to question the initial brief, and to look at the back, service yard area of the College, on Sidgwick Avenue, as an alternative location for the new building.

Initially the architects were asked to look at another part of the college site earmarked for development, but were also asked to reflect on the overall layout and planning of the college grounds. Awards RIBA East Award 2019, RIBA East Building of the Year 2019 and RIBA National Award 2019 © Dennis Gilbert VIEW