Porter’s Lodge, Oriel College

Renewal of Grade I Listed gateway and porter’s lodge dating from 1620-22. Oriel College wished to improve the quality of the first experience of the college, and form a C21 porter’s lodge allowing the many functions to operate smoothly. MBA won an invited competition to design the project, which involved:

• repaving and relighting the gateway facing Oriel Square,
• forming a new doorway between the vaulted gateway and lodge,
• removing internal partitions to create a single large space,
• adjusting floor levels, and
• constructing a new piece of furniture in solid oak and phosphor bronze, incorporating automatic sliding glass doors, which subdivides the room and provides desk, pigeonholes, and secure areas.

This radical design grew out of a detailed study of the lodge and its history, and close liaison with the conservation team at Oxford City Council.