Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities to open at the University of Oxford

Purcell is proud to celebrate the completion of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities, one of the largest building projects ever undertaken by the University of Oxford. The centre will open to the academic community later this month.

Our involvement at the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter (ROQ) dates back to 2003, and in 2020 we were appointed heritage consultant on this £150m Hopkins Architects–designed scheme. Drawing on our deep knowledge of the ROQ, we guided the project through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and, from 2023, have been involved the technical design delivery through to completion in close collaboration with Hopkins Architects and the contractor, Laing O’Rourke. 

Funded by a gift from American businessman and philanthropist Stephen A. Schwarzman, the new centre provides a home for Oxford’s humanities faculties, a world-class library, and leading research institutes, including the Institute for Ethics in AI and the Oxford Internet Institute. 

At its heart, the centre offers sustainable, flexible and inclusive spaces, from a 500-seat concert hall and 250-seat theatre to a film screening area, all surrounded by new public realm connecting the ROQ to the wider community. 

The project proudly incorporates the world’s first Passivhaus concert hall and the largest Passivhaus building in the UK, aligning with Oxford’s sustainability ambitions.

Purcell’s continued design expertise ensured best-practice energy performance and long-term environmental responsibility, creating a truly future-ready building for generations to come.