Our Projects: Corpus Christi College, Spencer Building
The Spencer Building marks the most ambitious development undertaken by Corpus Christi College, Oxford, in more than 300 years.
Created to expand study facilities, improve accessibility, and protect the College’s renowned Special Collections, it both extends and revitalises the Library while honouring the historic character of the Oriel Square Conservation Area.
Built to meet rigorous Passivhaus standards, the project is a trailblazer in sustainable construction and has become the first UK Passivhaus building connected to a 16th Century structure.
Integration with Historic Fabric
Navigating the complexities of integrating cutting-edge sustainable design within the historic setting is a monumental feat, with Passivhaus typically achieved on new build sites.
Three sides of the building preserve medieval walls, a decision that, while making Passivhaus detailing more complex, has significantly reduced embodied carbon.
Specific strategies ensured airtightness while accommodating the hygroscopic nature of historic stone walls to prevent moisture buildup.
Incorporating high levels of insulation, necessary for Passivhaus, required an increase in wall and roof depth, which was challenging within the existing tight site.
Triple-glazed windows with insulated frames minimise heat loss, and a mechanical ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery was incorporated to maintain air quality and reduce energy consumption.
In two distinct zones, the archival stores and the occupied spaces are thermally separated to avoid heat gains and ensure efficient energy use.
The project involved close collaboration with the Passivhaus certifier throughout the design process, ensuring that the building met the necessary standards.
Equal-Access
A new lift has been installed near the main staircase to serve all floors, including the historic library. Wheelchair compatible desks will be provided and a rise and fall desk is provided in the first and third floor reading rooms.
A New Chapter for Research
Now serving as the permanent home for the Library, Archives, and at the heart of this project, the treasured Special Collections, the Spencer Building creates new opportunities for research and scholarly pursuits. Rare materials once stored in secure vaults are now accessible to academics while remaining carefully protected for the future.
Spread across three floors, the new reading rooms are positioned to capture natural light and give views over the garden quad, reducing reliance on artificial lighting. The Special Collections Reading Room is equipped with precise climate control and a custom-built desk designed for the close study of manuscripts.
- Client: Corpus Christi College, Oxford
- Sector: EducationHeritage
- Services: Project Management
- Contract: £12m
