Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford
- Christian Schittich
The Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford is an elite institution that prepares its students for leading positions in politics and business. The new building is situated in heterogeneous fabric on the edge of the historic centre and houses departments that had previously been located in a variety of buildings in a single building. With their design, Herzog & de Meuron prevailed in the international architecture competition held by the university. Their decision to work with a round form is a nod to different historic buildings in Oxford, including the neighbouring Radcliffe Observatory, but also to governmental and university buildings worldwide. But most importantly, they developed the building form through the conception of its interior spaces. At the heart of the design is a bright atrium that receives light from above, serves as forum, and links all levels both visually and – via open stairs and corridors – physically to foster chance encounters as well as interaction and cooperation among students and teaching staff. In addition to fostering cooperation, the school’s special focuses are openness and transparency. These notions are expressed by the glazed facades and by the “Window to the World”, a double-glazed panel above the entrance measuring 10.5 × 3.2 metres. It was installed in such manner that the frame is not visible inside, while from the exterior the striking border alludes to the stone portals typical of the city’s medieval colleges. Ribbons of exposed concrete units corresponding to the floor slabs – which support the outer glass skin – set up a connection to the stone often used in Oxford. The double-skin facade also plays an important role in the energy and sustainability concept, which includes, aside from the gardens on the flat roofs, exploitation of geothermal energy and the electricity generated by a photovoltaic system. The interiors were designed with great care, and the architects worked with just a small number of recurring details in all of the building’s different areas. These details are fashioned from just three materials: untreated wood, exposed concrete and glass.
