Designed to complement and enhance the character of the Victoria Park Conservation Area, the scheme includes the sensitive renovation of St Gabriel’s Lodge, Chapel and Woodthorpe building, with the addition of two new four- and five-storey buildings, which bookend the site. The scheme will deliver 319 high quality student bedrooms, in a mix of studios and 5- to 8-bed cluster apartments, in addition to shared amenity spaces and vibrant new landscaped courtyards and gardens.
The over-arching design philosophy and architectural approach comprises the retention and refurbishment of the existing buildings, stripping back non-sensitive elements that were added over the years, to reveal and celebrate the site’s key heritage assets. These retained structures will be complemented by the provision of new, high-quality buildings that take inspiration directly from them in terms of materiality and detailing, to create a characterful and cohesive overall architectural composition.
The buildings will sit within a high-quality landscaped setting, which includes a variety of new planting, together with the retention of the mature treeline along Oxford Place, protecting the unique landscape character of the conservation area. The scheme also provides new intimate landscaped courtyard spaces, defined by the relationship of the buildings to one another, and complementing the existing courtyards within St Gabriel’s Lodge and Woodthorpe. This will create a distinct sense of place across the site as a whole, providing shared amenity spaces, and fostering a sense of community. The development will provide a renewed and sustainable life for the site’s existing buildings, protecting their future, and enhancing the gateway into Victoria Park.