Hidden Gems -
New Architectural Gems Compliment Centuries Old Stone at City Colleges

Beard has just finished two beautiful new extensions for two of Oxford’s most prestigious colleges, strengthening the company’s reputation for complex, high quality, craft-intensive building work within and around sensitive heritage buildings.

At the centre of University College Beard constructed a new elliptical building in the grounds of the master’s garden, to provide a new buttery with modern kitchen and dining facilities for 500 students and staff, while at Corpus Christi a new multi-purpose auditorium, built into the ancient city wall and bastion, provides an important new venue for students and the public.

Both buildings are striking examples of modern architecture blending seamlessly with highly sensitive surroundings including both ancient heritage monuments and Grade I listed buildings, and incorporate a range of modern and traditional building materials and skills.

“These were highly challenging construction projects in part because of their location within busy college sites, and because of the extremely limited access,” said Beard Construction Director, John Youle. “Careful planning to minimise disruption to college life and local residents was essential, especially during excavations and craft-intensive building work. Because of the restrictions on access the majority of materials and equipment had to be carefully lifted in over adjacent Grade I listed structures.”

Both projects required close coordination with archaeologists and conservation officers especially during excavation work, and a careful approach was required to avoid damage to adjoining structures. In particular the precious painted glass windows of University College Chapel, which adjoins the new buttery, needed protection during the build, and painstaking work was required at Corpus Christi to conserve parts of the city wall.