Re-developing university student living facilities in Oxford

Above: Clive Booth student village at Oxford Brookes University (MICA Architects0

How can high quality master planning help 'Science Cities' to develop sites that require regeneration, given the need for better housing linked to the university campus?

Future Cities Forum will be discussing at our Oxford forum next week how the UK's over-heating science cities are under pressure to develop more affordable housing for academic staff and students.

Stuart Cade, Director at MICA Architects says it has been working on plans for Clive Booth Student Village in Headington for Oxford Brookes University and close to potential development sites owned by Oxford University Hospitals.

MICA states:

'The redevelopment of the Clive Booth Student Village (CBSV) is an exciting opportunity to create a unique ‘living and learning’ environment for Oxford Brookes University (OBU) students within a verdant woodland setting close to the main campus and Headington Hill Park.

'A large number of the existing buildings on the site are now 30 years old. There is a need to redevelop the accommodation so that living arrangements continue to be of a high quality for the students and so the site can be improved and modernised. The design is the result of a 10–20-year plan for the University’s key Oxford campus at Headington to create a vibrant academic community, using the estate more efficiently and delivering better services for students, staff and the community.'

Key aims of the project include building a sense of community, improving student health and wellbeing, a positive engagement with the topography of the site and a strong sense of visual amenity.

MICA comments:

'The design features twelve sensitively designed buildings that cascade through the wooded slopes between existing and new tree canopies. Landscape and building are closely related with the design informed by the existing trees and views to the site from both the city and adjoining vantage points. The buildings overlook external sloped gardens and frame new ‘outdoor rooms.’

Below: masterplan by MICA Architects of the remodelled Clive Booth student village, Oxford Brookes University