Long-standing partner Laing O’Rourke will deliver the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for Humanities at the University of Oxford
This will be one of the largest single building projects ever undertaken by the University.
For Laing O’Rourke it signifies its 12th project for a client it has worked with for two decades.
What will the new Centre for Humanities offer?
- Provide a home for nine faculties and institutes and seven libraries and collections
- Offer sustainable, flexible, accessible spaces for graduate postgrad and post doc learning, research and experimentation
- Make space for performance and public engagement by installing a 500-seat concert hall with incredible acoustics, a 250-seat theatre and a film screening area
- It will form the centrepiece of the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter (ROQ) which will be surrounded by an attractive landscaped area, making an effort to connect the wider community
The Laing O’Rourke team
Most recently, the team – led by Steve Holland – oversaw the construction of the Oxford Biochemistry Completion project.
In autumn 2022, they are to begin work on the Hopkins Architect designed building.
Holland commented:
“Our two decades of delivery with the University of Oxford has allowed us to demonstrate the power of our experience, delivering complex schemes by working in close partnership with our clients.
“Our plan ensures teaching and learning continues, soft lands construction delivery with neighbouring buildings and maintains public access and engagement throughout.
“The Centre for Humanities building will also allow us to draw on our experience of delivering performance spaces.
“We’re currently on site at Soho Place in London nearing completion of a building that houses the first theatre to be built in the West End for 50 years and in Manchester our teams are constructing The Factory, which will become home to the Manchester International Festival.
“We are privileged to be appointed to complete the heart of the ROQ in Oxford, a project of such purpose, for all that it is to be human.
“The building will be delivered to Passivhaus energy performance standards, utilising our blend of offsite manufacturing capability and direct delivery to enable the certainty required.”
Jennifer Makkreel, project director at the University of Oxford said:
“Laing O’Rourke demonstrated that they shared the University’s vision for the exciting possibilities of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for Humanities and we are looking forward to working with them.
“They have nearly two decades of experience of collaborative project delivery of complex University buildings, including on the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter site.”
Previous facilities
Laing O’Rourke has previously delivered the following facilities to the University of Oxford:
- Department of Chemistry, 2003
- Department of Biochemistry, Phase 1, 2008
- Department of Earth Sciences, 2010
- Sommerville College, 2011
- Radcliffe Infirmary, 2012
- Andrew Wiles Building – Mathematical Institute, 2013
- Blavatnik School of Government, 2015
- St Luke’s Chapel, 2016
- Radcliffe Primary Care Building, 2016
- Beecroft Building for Physics, 2018
- Department of Biochemistry, Phase 2, 2020
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for Humanities will be completed in spring 2025 and begin to welcome students in autumn 2025.
