Inverscorp Building at St Antony’s College

Founded in 1957, the Middle East Centre at St Antony’s College serves as the University of Oxford’s facility for research and teaching on the Arab world, Iran, Israel and Turkey from the 19th century to the present day, with its focus on the research of humanities and social sciences. The centre has been housed at 68 Woodstock Road (the former rectory of the Church of St Philip and St James, built in 1887) since 1978.

The Middle East Centre holds Oxford University’s primary collection on the modern Middle East, a world-class archive of private papers and historic photographs used by scholars and researchers with an interest in the region.
The new Investcorp Building for the Middle East Centre provides 1,127 square metres of additional floor space and a new 117-seat lecture theatre; doubling the space available for the Middle East Centre’s expanding library & archive,and providing optimum conditions to conserve and manage the centre’s collections that were previously stored in the basement of 66 Woodstock Road.

The Invescorp Building complements the college’s ongoing development. Its design weaves through the restricted site at St Antony’s College to connect and incorporate the existing protected buildings and trees; while its stainless steel façade softly reflects natural light to echo the building’s context. Beyond its practical function, it has created a distinctive landmark on Oxford’s architectural landscape.

A sinuous, softly reflective steel-clad form, seemingly floating, suspended between its Victorian and Edwardian neighbours. The curved form of library reading room’s western façade accommodates the century-old Californian Sequoia tree and its extensive root network; while a drainage system has been installed below the foundation slabs to ensure the tree receives enough moisture.

The new 117-seat lecture theatre is located below ground and is ventilated through a thermal labyrinth – there you can see our Perseo chairs with anti panic writing tablet. All fixing, including the floor one has been also concealed in order to show the premium fabric used for the upholstery: pure organic wool from New Zealand.