St Hilda's College reveals £10m riverside revamp in East Oxford

St Hilda's College has chosen architects Gort Scott to design the new building for its riverside site on Cowley Place, off the plain in East Oxford, to mark its 125th anniversary.

The building will feature social and conference spaces, academic and teaching rooms and a new middle common room, in addition to accommodation for students and fellows.

St Hilda's College principal, Professor Sir Gordon Duff, said the development would "transform the college's public face", "refresh its rare and lovely riverside setting", and provide much-needed modern spaces and amenities.

He went on: "Gort Scott won the college over because their concept design displayed the most intuitive and natural fit to our organic site.

"Though this initial design will be redefined and developed in the coming months, the scheme is sympathetic to the garden feel of the college – opening-up new vistas and allowing the space to flow.

"It also positions the college more elegantly on Cowley Place, improving St Hilda's visibility within Oxford."

The winning design features a slender tower, rooftop gardens with wildflower planting, and a riverside pavilion.

It also features new open spaces, which run from the re-positioned college entrance to the River Cherwell, offering views of Christ Church Meadows.

Director of London-based Gort Scott, Fiona Scott, said the commission meant an enormous amount to the team.

She said: "The competition process gave us confidence and there was a well thought-through brief and an engaging process that really gave us the opportunity to explore the potential of the project.

"Our proposal focused on responding to the riverside setting and making a lyrical pavilion set within the college’s picturesque gardens, framed by a robust building that defines the boundary of the college."

Construction is due to begin in July 2017.

See also: Nuffield College's plans to redevelop Oxford's West End