Construction to begin at Green Templeton College, Radcliffe Observatory Building in Oxford

Green Templeton College has secured final consents for the transformation of the Radcliffe Observatory, one of Oxford’s most important historic buildings and its surrounding landscape.

With approval now in place, Gillespies’ proposals for the College’s new Southern Arrival Garden will begin on site in January, delivering an accessible, sustainable and elegantly crafted setting that celebrates the Grade I-listed Observatory and enhances connections across the evolving Radcliffe Observatory Quarter.

The scheme introduces a refreshed and welcoming arrival sequence that supports the College’s reconfigured internal layout and the relocation of the Porter’s Lodge to the Eastern Wing. Inspired by the Observatory’s distinctive circular geometry, echoed in the recently completed neighbouring New Humanities Building, also designed with landscape by Gillespies, the new landscape weaves together historic and contemporary influences to create a unified and memorable sense of place.

The subsequent phase of the project will relocate the main college entrance to the Eastern Wing of the Observatory building, transforming the southern landscape into a new Arrival Garden. This reimagined gateway will redefine how students, staff and visitors experience the site, strengthening the connection between the repositioned entrance, the wider Observatory Quarter and the historic architectural character of the site.

New raised, step-free pathways will provide fully inclusive access to all three building entrances, while a generous circular lawn offers flexible space for events, social gatherings and everyday use. The landscape aims for simplicity and elegance, enriching the architectural setting and strengthening legibility, circulation and opportunities for college life.

To honour the scientific heritage of the Radcliffe Observatory, the design incorporates subtle interpretive elements. Pavement bands trace the alignments of the original meridian instrument apertures, once used to observe transiting celestial bodies, bringing a long-lost astronomical feature back into public view. Additional pavement inlays embedded within the circular path mark the cardinal points of the compass, reflecting the building’s historic orientation and helping visitors intuitively understand their position within the site. Together, these interventions celebrate the site’s legacy while shaping an inviting, contemporary arrival experience for Green Templeton College.

Contractors are being appointed, with completion targeted for April 2026.