A second public consultation has begun for Oxford University’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities.

Responses will be considered for the planning application which will be submitted to Oxford City Council in late Summer or early Autumn.

The building is earmarked for the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter between Walton Street and Woodstock Road.

The centre is funded by a £150 million gift to the university from Stephen A Schwarzman, who is chief executive and co-founder of investment giant Blackstone.

It will bring seven faculties together, along with a new Institute for Ethics in AI, the Oxford Internet Institute and a new library.

Prof Karen O’Brien, head of Humanities at Oxford University, said: “Our proposed design reflects our ambition to create a welcoming building that people will be intrigued to visit. This will be an open building which we hope will soon become a popular destination for residents of our city and county.

“We look forward to inviting everyone in to attend our events and performances, or simply meet a friend in the cafe. We welcome all feedback on our proposal and we will work closely with the city council as we develop our vision ahead of the planning submission later this year.”

Professor William Whyte, professor of Architectural History at the university, said: “This is a building of enormous complexity and huge ambition. Designed by a world-leading architectural practice, it will also be beautiful: a new home for the Humanities, a new public space for the people of Oxford, and an inspirational addition to the city’s architecture.”

The development will house:

  • Performance venues including a 500-seat concert hall, a 250-seat theatre and a 100-seat ‘Black Box’ lab for experimental performance.
  • Exhibitions, lectures and performances.
  • A schools and public engagement centre.
  • A cafe and other meeting spaces which are open to the public

There will be new access and landscaping and many sustainability features.

The consultation runs until July 8.

Visit https://www.schwarzmancentre.ox.ac.uk/buildingconsultation

© Thames Tap (powered by ukpropertyforums.com).

Sign up to receive your free weekly Thames Tap newsletter here.