Designed to complement and enhance the character of the Victoria Park Conservation Area, the scheme includes the sensitive renovation of St Gabriel’s Lodge, the Chapel and Woodthorpe building, and the addition of two new four- and five-storey buildings, which bookend the site. The buildings collectively provide 321 high-quality student bedrooms, with a mix of studios and 5- to 8-bed cluster apartments. The new student residences are set within vibrant landscaped courtyards and gardens, and benefit from shared amenity spaces, including a fitness studio, private dining room, study, social and media spaces, within the newly refurbished chapel at the heart of the site.
The overarching design philosophy and architectural approach focussed on the retention and careful refurbishment of the site’s existing buildings, stripping back the non-sensitive elements that were added over the years, to reveal and celebrate these key heritage assets. The retained structures are complemented by the provision of new, high-quality buildings that take inspiration directly from them in terms of materiality and detailing, to create a characterful and cohesive overall architectural composition.
The buildings sit within a high-quality landscaped setting, which includes a variety of new planting, together with the retention of the mature treeline along Oxford Place, protecting and enhancing the unique landscape character of the Conservation Area. The scheme provides new intimate landscaped courtyard spaces defined by the relationship of the buildings to one another, which complement the refurbished existing courtyard spaces within St Gabriel’s Lodge and Woodthorpe. This creates a distinct sense of place across the site as a whole, providing shared amenity spaces, and fostering a sense of community. The development provides a renewed and sustainable life for the site’s existing buildings, protecting their future, and enhancing the gateway into Victoria Park.