Oxford college sees lecture theatre built in six weeks

Neptunus completed the urgently required temporary lecture theatre at St Catherine’s College.

The task was given to the firm after access was restricted to the college's permanent lecture theatre due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete.

The lecture theatre at St Catherine’s College (Image: Neptunus)

This is an issue which has impacted more than 150 school and college buildings in the UK built between the 1950s and 1990s.

Owing to a busy schedule of lectures, seminars, and events, St Catherine’s College needed a quick solution that could accommodate up to 250 people while the primary lecture building underwent remediation.

It took technicians three weeks to construct the temporary lecture theatre on the college grounds, and a subsequent three weeks to finalise the facility's fit-out.

The structure, spanning 300 square metres, serves as the main lecture hall.

It is linked to 275 square metres of additional Neptunus structures, including Alure Globe, Alu Hall, and Alure.

These provide space for a foyer for refreshments and registration, and break out rooms for seminars that can double up as an exhibition space.

Part of the complex, built beside a river, was erected on scaffolding to ensure a uniform height throughout with external walkways.

Neptunus’s technicians constructed the main entrance around one of the college's most cherished artworks - a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth.

The lecture theatre at St Catherine’s College (Image: Neptunus)

This sculpture is permanently displayed in the grounds where the temporary lecture theatre now stands.

High-spec features including tiered seating, suspended ceilings, lighting, power supplies, air conditioning and internal partition walls have been included in the temporary facility.

It is scheduled to remain on the college grounds in Manor Road, Oxford, for at least nine months.

Belinda Gardner, St Catherine’s College conference manager, said: "It was a pleasure working with the Neptunus team to develop our interim state-of-the-art theatre and seminar suites.

"Throughout the project, Neptunus demonstrated professionalism, open communication, and conduct that aligned with our own standards, finishing the works to an exceptionally high standard.

The lecture theatre at St Catherine’s College (Image: Neptunus)

"We are grateful that this venue was made available in such a short amount of time, particularly given the difficult weather conditions experienced during January 2024."

Founded over 85 years ago, the family-run Neptunus company has its head office in The Netherlands, with divisions in the UK, Belgium, Germany, France, Poland and Austria.

Its UK operation is located in Swan Valley, Northampton, where the company has purpose-built offices, storage and maintenance facilities.

Neptunus has more than 500,000 square metres of high-quality structures in a wide range of styles.