Middle East Centre, St Anthony’s College, Oxford
Middle East Centre
Zaha Hadid Architects, 2015
This is one of the last buildings Zaha Hadid designed before her death, and one in which she took a personal lead.
Planning permission proved difficult, given the site's setting among Victorian houses in North Oxford. The building was shaped to fit around the existing rectory and a protected mature pine tree.
It's one of Oxford's boldest new buildings which subtly fits in with its surroundings. The mirrored stainless steel tube snakes its way out of a Victorian building and provides an interesting 21st century counterpoint to its neighbours from the previous centuries.The reflection absorbs its surroundings and the neighbouring greenery, which helps it merge into the background, making its striking form feel more subtle.
It’s officially named the Investcorp Building after the firm donated £11m to the project. The building later won an Oxford Preservation Trust Award in the New Building category.
