John Partridge, HPKA (1970)
John Partridge’s Hilda Besse Building at St Antony’s College was completed in 1970 as a central hub space for dining, socialising and meeting.
There are not many unashamedly Brutalist buildings in Oxford but in my view this one is the jewel in that concrete crown. It’s a stunning, charming building that has absolutely stood the test of time – standing as it does virtually unchanged for over 50 years.
Grade II listed since 2009, the building was refurbished by Purcell in 2021 – details, including some lovely interior images – can be found here.
Blue Crow Media have a page dedicated to Hilda Besse describing it in detail here.
Address: St. Antony’s College, 62 Woodstock Road, Oxford OX2 6JF
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