Timber constructions on the grounds of St John’s College

 Friday, November 24, 2023

The construction of a new mass timber cycling pavilion on the grounds of St John’s College, Oxford University, has been approved by the council. This pavilion will be designed by UK architect Fletcher Priest. It will feature 191 long-stay cycle spaces and it will be a vital part of the Oxford’s push to replace vehicles on the road with cyclists.

According to Fletcher Priest, who is responsible for the ‘Oxford North’ masterplan said the pavilion’s radial design was inspired by wheel spokes “with vertical timber battens enclosing the upper floor.”
“This design will give the effect of a lantern at night and views across the surrounding market square during the day,” according to a spokesperson from the studio.

The pavillion will be connected to a 5,710m² office block. It will be the basis of the first stage of North redevelopment. This new development will come into exixtence with a new public realm and two other buidings designed by the practice.

Fletcher Priest is collaborating with UK architecture practices Gort Scott and WilkinsonEyre on the masterplan, with the practices securing permission to build three buildings in the scheme’s second phase in September.

The two-phase Oxford North scheme will create a hub for small and medium-sized enterprises, start-ups and laboratories with 480 homes and 87,000m² of new labs and workspaces.

According to David Camp, CEO of Stanhope – one of the developers involved in the project, the decision to approve the pavilion was “great news for cyclists.” The pavilion, he said, is critical to “the masterplan’s heart and celebrates cycling as the most sustainable mode of transport.”

Oxford North £700 million Innovation Precinct

Fletcher Priest was given approval to design a new master plan for over twenty acres of open space and three new parks on the grounds of St John’s College at Oxford University, in 2021.

The 1,000 acres are a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and are one of the world’s most researched pieces of woodland, exceptionally rich in flora and fauna.

These buildings are oriented to boost the connectivity with the local landscape. These views also include views towards Wytham Woods, an ancient semi-natural woodland owned and maintained by the University of Oxford. This efficient and useful Timber cycling pavilion is expected to be finished in the second quarter 2025.

Source- https://woodcentral.com.au/

Tags: timber construction, timber cycling pavilion, wood, wood and panel, woodworking, woodworking and processing