Marking a milestone: Topping Out Ceremony at St Edmund Hall
Marking a major milestone in the delivery of St Edmund Hall's new Passivhaus student accommodation campus in North Oxford, we were pleased to attend the Topping Out ceremony on Friday 20 June, hosted officially by Chancellor at University of Oxford, William Hague.
Designed by Wright & Wright Architects, the project has now reached superstructure completion, with the final cross-laminated timber elements successfully installed.For the first time in their history, this low-energy, high-impact development will enable the Hall to offer accommodation to all undergraduate students for the full duration of their course, significantly improve access for those from lower-income backgrounds.
The scheme comprises 127 student bedrooms and communal facilities, arranged across a series of new Passivhaus-standard buildings and a retrofitted Victorian villa built to EnerPhit principles. Renewable energy systems, including air source heat pumps and biosolar roofs, and a 80% net biodiversity gain across the four distinct gardens, all contribute to the College’s wider ambitions for sustainability and net zero operations.
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A new, Passivhaus student campus for one of Oxford’s oldest colleges achieves increased accessibility, inclusivity, and biodiversity net gain through a holistic architecture, landscape and ecology design strategy.
