Garden Building, with its distinctive Grade II Listed design, is now 55 years old and its much-needed renovation is a priority within our strategy to deliver the best possible living and learning environment for our students, and to meet our sustainability goals.
Almost 3,000 alumnae have lived in the building over those years, together with its many visitors, sharing views of our College through those distinctive but now aged and drafty floor to ceiling windows. You might have been lucky and been allocated a coveted corner room or maybe your room was a little more modest. Either way, the memories and friendships formed for many are no doubt still strong. We now urge you to come together to enable the urgent re-modelling of Garden Building so that it can host future generations of students without the risk of them boiling or freezing as the seasons change!
There are a number of ways that you can put your mark on the ‘Shared Views’ project – on the door or wall of your old room, on our donor board in the entrance, or even on the building itself. Please do read on to get a full overview and donate if you can so that we can undertake the work during Summer 2027.
Designed by modernist architects Peter and Alison Smithson, in collaboration with renowned structural engineers Ove Arup & Partners, the building was constructed between 1968 and 1970 and officially opened in 1971. It is celebrated for its distinctive U-shaped form, concrete frame, and iconic timber screen facade making it one of the most architecturally significant post-war buildings in Oxford.
St Hilda's will be undertaking a sensitive restoration of the Grade II listed building, carefully balancing heritage conservation with modern performance. The project includes the installation of new high performance glazing to improve thermal efficiency (reducing heat loss significantly), the treatment of the timber veil, and the provision of stable, high-quality Wi-Fi to support contemporary use of the space.
Garden Building is not only an architectural landmark, but a place that has shaped the visions and aspirations of hundreds of St Hilda’s students. We invite alumnae and current residents of Garden Building to share their stories and memories of their College experience which can then be viewed on our timeline at the bottom of this page. Across generations, students have shared the same outlook from these windows. Will you help pay it forward for future visionaries?
The total cost of the project is estimated at £1,800,000. We have made a strong start by securing an initial £200,000 grant through a combination of College and University funding.
How you can support the Project:
Alumnae and friends can support the project in the following ways:
- Co-name Garden Building - £1,000,000 (£800,000 plus Gift Aid)
Link your name, or someone you want to celebrate - Name a Floor - £100,000 (£80,000 plus Gift Aid)
Your name listed on a plaque on the entrance way to your floor - Name a Room - £20,000 (£16,000 plus Gift Aid)
Your name will be on a plaque on the bedroom door - Sponsor a Room - £2,500 (£2,000 plus Gift Aid)
Your name, subject and matriculation alongside residents of your room from other years will be listed on a plaque inside the bedroom - Make a Community Gift - £1,000 (£800 plus Gift Aid)
All donors of £1,000 and over will be named on our Garden Building Donor Board at the entrance of the building
Gifts of any size are much appreciated and will help us reach our goal. Commitments can be paid in instalments over a maximum of two financial years.
Our campaign deadline is February 2027 so that work can confidently begin in Summer 2027.
Please give online or the Development team would be delighted to discuss the available options with you. Please contact the Development Director Andrew Thomas - andrew.thomas@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk or the Senior Development Executive Chris Kilkenny - chris.kilkenny@st-hildas.ox.ac.uk
Please share your Garden Building stories for our timeline here!
