Library and Study Centre, St John’s College, Oxford

Client: St John’s College, Oxford

Principal Contractor: Stepnall

Architect: Wright & Wright

Package Value: £2M

Szerelmey have recently completed a landmark project at St John’s College, Oxford. The new Library and Study Centre designed by Wright & Wright architects sits in the President’s Garden and joins the existing library building that forms part of the historic Canterbury Quadrangle. Before work could begin on the new building Szerelmey surveyed, templated, carefully took down and stored the existing historic boundary walls to enable access for the new building works.

Once removed we installed all the Clipsham limestone cladding to the two storey new building, at 100mm thick, using a corbel and restraint system. The design of the new building incorporates three connected and striking “artwork” walls by artist Susanna Heron. These walls feature an intricate and organic pattern CNC machined into the limestone on the exterior and a reverse pattern on the interior aspect. These “artwork” walls are fully loadbearing with a concrete core and solid stone corner pieces. We laid 400 sqm of internal Crosland Hill paving at 40mm thick on a sand cement screed and a further 300 sqm of external paving at 75mm thick.

Library and Study Centre, St John's College, Oxford - Szerelmey
Library and Study Centre, St John's College, Oxford - Szerelmey
Library and Study Centre, St John's College, Oxford - Szerelmey

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