Part of the West Courtyard of Jesus College was sold to the Methodist Church in 1922, and two seminary buildings were built there in the second half of the 1920s and in 1973. In 2014, the college bought back this land - along with the buildings. Níall McLaughlin Architects was invited to adapt the buildings to new needs and to reconstruct the courtyard as a result of an architectural competition.
The first phase of the project (budget £ 15m) has now been completed, encompassing the former seminar buildings and the new "gateway" building between them. The second stage involves the construction of a new lecture hall in the Western courtyard, the third - a sports pavilion.
The project was implemented in a protected area, and the 1920s building, named after its architect, Maurice Webb, The Webb Building is a cultural heritage site. Therefore, the approach characteristic of Níall McLaughlin Architects was especially relevant: when working in a historical environment, they never imitate the forms of past centuries, but draw lines of intersection between the old and the new in materials, proportions, "detail".
The formal heterogeneity of the historical buildings resonates in the project based on the diversity of the program and tasks: the massive Webb Building, during the reconstruction, accommodated administrative premises, public spaces and a hostel, and an attached pavilion of a cafe with a bar and a micro-brewery in the basement and a terrace made of wood and glass - completely new, lightweight construction. At the same time, the new "gate building" with a tower-lantern is solid and "material". There is an administration desk, exhibition and conference rooms.
The 1973 building accommodates a renovated auditorium for 180 people, research and training facilities, housing for college guests, and the Intellectual Forum Science Center. It received the characteristic "profiles" of stone and balconies that defined the street façade of the project.
A palette of materials - oak, ash, stone, brick, ceramic tiles - gives unity to the image of new and renovated buildings. During the renovation, the energy efficiency of the existing buildings was increased - the insulation was significantly improved, including the historic windows received an additional layer of glazing. The project includes shading of the facades, which protects them from the summer sun, but not from the winter. All wood used is FSC certified.
