The Steven Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities is a major development project that sits at the heart of the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter in Oxford.

The scheme was made possible following a £150 million landmark gift, one of the largest single donations the University of Oxford has ever received. 

Our professionals were appointed to provide planning consultancy services for what will be a new home for the University of Oxford Humanities Division.

We worked closely with a substantial multidisciplinary team to develop a proposal which brings together public exhibition space, performance venues, academic and teaching areas surrounded by a new landscape and public realm setting. Ultimately, the building will be a new destination within the city which adds to its cultural and academic history. 

Over the unprecedented times of the past year, we adopted agile strategies to ensure that consultation and engagement could continue successfully as the proposals developed. On such a large scheme, there are always numerous complex planning issues that are to be addressed. Our professionals worked closely with Oxford City Council and key stakeholders such as Design South East, Oxford Preservation Trust and local interest groups to share information, gain feedback and progress the proposals.

A planning application is scheduled to be submitted in autumn 2021.