03 October 2019

H B Allen Centre officially opened by Duke of Cambridge

The H B Allen Centre at Keble College has officially opened with a royal unveiling by HRH the Duke of Cambridge.

MICA Director Stuart Cade and Project Associate Jessie Turnbull were in attendance for the visit where they were privileged to give Prince William a first-hand explanation on the design ethos behind the new centre.

During his visit to the state-of-the-art facilities, Prince William was given a demonstration of virtual reality technology within the subterranean research spaces. He also met graduates, academics and staff as he toured the centre's Oxford Robotics Institute.

To mark the occasion, Prince William unveiled a commemorative plaque within the Banbury social hub with Vice-chancellor Professor Louise Richardson calling the occasion a “big day” for Oxford University.

At 12,250m2, the H B Allen Centre is one of central Oxford’s largest developments with over 250 student bedrooms, lecture theatres, innovative research facilities, offices, student hubs and a café. All the new spaces are focused around a contemporary interpretation of the archetypal Oxford Quadrangle.

The centre is located between Banbury and Woodstock Road and sited within the North Oxford Conservation Area. Connecting to the heritage of the site, the project retains the 1867 Grade II Listed Acland House by Thomas Jackson, strengthening its position within the heart of the campus.

The opening was also attended by other MICA members who worked on the project, including: Technical Director Chris Wood, Associate Director David Watson and Senior Architectural Technician Dave Jones.

To find out more about the H B Allen Centre, click here.
To read more about the Duke’s visit, click here.

The H B Allen Centre (credit: Richard Chivers)
Jessie Turnbull speaking to HRH the Duke of Cambridge (credit: Getty Images)
Section perspective of the scheme (credit: The Boundary)
The Project team
1 / 4 The H B Allen Centre (credit: Richard Chivers)
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