Wadham College chooses AL_A to design two new buildings

Following an invited design competition, Wadham College has announced that it has selected the architecture studio AL_A to design two new buildings in the centre of its historic Oxford site.

The new buildings will create a state of the art Undergraduate Centre as well as an Aspiration Centre to accommodate the increasing number of visiting school students attending access and outreach events such as summer schools and aspiration days. The two buildings will replace the JCR and Goddard Buildings.

The development is lead-funded by William Doo and his family and Honorary Fellow of Wadham, Dr Lee Shau Kee. The new William Doo Undergraduate Centre will transform undergraduate life in College and the Dr Lee Shau Kee Building will serve as a nexus for Wadham’s access programme, welcoming all Wadham’s prospective applicants when they visit for inspiration days and summer schools.

Warden of Wadham College, Ken Macdonald QC, said: “These exciting and inspirational buildings will radically improve our ability to reach out to groups of potential applicants and will enrich the experience of students while they are studying at Wadham. Putting the William Doo Undergraduate Centre and the Dr Lee Shau Kee Building at the heart of the College site will articulate Wadham’s values, representing our openness and commitment to excellence.”

Amanda Levete said: “This project goes to the heart of what makes Wadham an exceptional educational community.

“The Dr Lee Shau Kee Building is an ambitious investment in the future, an investment in people who are not yet members of the college. The William Doo Undergraduate Centre is recognition of the huge importance of social spaces – because these are places where students will meet friends and collaborators for life.

“We look forward to working with the fellows, staff, students and future students of Wadham to realise these ambitions.”