Rhodes House, a space for the 21st Century

RHODES RHODES HOUSE HOUSE A 21ST CENTURY SPACE A 21ST CENTURY SPACE F O R C O L L A B O R AT I O N F O R G LO B A L I M PAC T

RHODES HOUSE A 21ST CENTURY SPACE

FOREWORD ELIZABETH KISS

This development is of great significance to us as a key milestone in our mission to expand and transform the Rhodes Trust in its second century.

At a time when many forces are driving individuals, communities and countries further apart, we are more committed than ever to building a space that can develop and connect compassionate, innovative and public-spirited people committed to solving humanity’s challenges.

Rhodes House is now a hub for every Rhodes Scholar (those in Oxford and our alumni around the world), as well as for our partnership programmes. It is a place to convene for regular formal and informal gatherings. With our growth in Scholar numbers and the expansion of our operations through our partnerships, Rhodes House reached a point where the space available was no longer sufficient.

We have limited suitable meeting space, and a substantial basement which had been empty and unused. The new state-of-the-art facility will include flexible office areas and space to hold events for our Scholars and partnership programmes and to create an immersive residential experience for delegates attending from outside Oxford.

Our new convening centre will therefore be critical to encourage dialogue on a scale never possible before at Rhodes House and I am looking forward to the many engaging and progressive discussions which will take place in this space in the decades to come.

Dr Elizabeth Kiss, Warden & CEO of the Rhodes Trust

TRANSFORMING RHODES HOUSE

In Autumn 2020, the Rhodes Trust received planning permission for an ambitious new development, to transform the listed 1929 Rhodes House building by updating and improving its infrastructure and adding a world-class convening centre.

The two-year building project will be delivered by Beard Construction in phases around the site, allowing the House to remain open throughout the construction.

Once the works have been completed, Rhodes House will be refreshed and restored, and will be ready to provide an environment to complement the strategic vision of the Trust.

The new convening centre aims to bring together world leaders, Scholars and Fellows, and be a place where challenging and productive discussions and different points of view can be shared by people of all backgrounds and nationalities – in line with the Rhodes Trust’s mission.

Alongside development of the convening centre, the investment in digital infrastructure and equipment will ensure that the Rhodes Trust can deploy state-of-the-art virtual convening tools to allow audiences from around the world to collaborate virtually with participants on site, reducing air travel and increasing outreach.

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“Rhodes House as it stands today is largely untouched from the time it was completed in 1929. We are excited to be working on this project with Stanton Williams, who have dedicated a huge amount of time to truly understanding the intent of the building’s original architect Herbert Baker, in order to suggest modifications and technical updates which both respect and enhance Rhodes House’s historic design and craftsmanship.”

Mat Davies Director of Estates, Rhodes Trust

RHODES HOUSE THE FIRST CENTURY

1920

1930

1940

1926

1939-45

Construction of Rhodes House begins

Second World War

...after the Rhodes Trust purchased the two-acre plot from Wadham College the previous year.

1931

Einstein holds lecture series at Rhodes House

1929

Completion of Rhodes House Described as ‘one of Oxford’s most successful inter-war buildings’, it remains a significant part of Oxford’s architecture and is an important hub for the Rhodes Trust, Scholar community and partnership programmes.

1950

Albert Einstein delivered a series of three lectures at Rhodes House in 1931 as part of the Rhodes Memorial Lecture series. The chalkboard from Einstein’s second lecture was preserved with chalkdrawn equations intact, and is on display at the History of Science Museum in Oxford.

Rhodes House was used for Red Cross trainees, the lawns were turned into a vegetable garden and the Warden’s wife, Lady Allen (fourth from left, standing, below), organised frequent dances for Allied soldiers.

1960

1977

First female Rhodes Scholars arrive The first cohort of female Rhodes Scholars, a group of 24 women, arrived in Oxford in 1977. The Rhodes Trust had successfully lobbied for an additional clause to an Act of Parliament and female Rhodes Scholars were then allowed to take up residence in Oxford.

1983

80th Anniversary of Rhodes Scholarships Celebrated with over 1,500 people, including Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip who attended a garden party at Rhodes House. The wall between Wadham College and Rhodes House had to be dismantled to accommodate it.

1970

1980

1990

2000

2013

2015

During this celebration event John and Marcy McCall MacBain were recognised for their landmark donation to the Rhodes Trust.

The first of this series of conferences, which brings together Rhodes Scholars with other leaders in their fields, was on healthcare. Other subjects have included climate change, entrepreneurship, LGBTQ+ and the Humanities.

110th anniversary of Rhodes Scholarships

1989

Atlantic Institute formed

The Bram Fischer Memorial Lecture was first held in 1989 to celebrate the life and commitment to justice shown by Bram Fischer.

The Memorial Lecture was reestablished in 2007 and is hosted annually at Rhodes House.

2014

Bodleian collection

Nelson Mandela’s visit to Rhodes House To celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Rhodes Scholarships in 2003, a historic partnership was forged between the Rhodes Trust and Nelson Mandela to establish The Mandela Rhodes Foundation.

2020

1st Rhodes Global Forum

2016

The first Bram Fischer Lecture

2003

2010

A partnership of Atlantic Philanthropies and the Rhodes Trust (and headquartered at Rhodes House), the Atlantic Institute connects the seven Atlantic Fellow programs across the world, creating a diverse community of international changemakers who are committed to addressing the systemic causes of inequities.

For many years, the Rosebery Room in Rhodes House was home to the Bodleian Library’s collection of books and printed materials relating to the history and governance of the Commonwealth.

In September 2014, the collection was moved from Rhodes House to the Weston Library.

2019

Rise program formed An initiative of Schmidt Futures and the Rhodes Trust, Rise aims to find the young leaders of tomorrow and substantially amplify their potential to make the world better. It is aimed at public-spirited students between the ages of 15 and 17, based anywhere in the world.

2020

Start of construction

2017

Schmidt Science Fellows program announced Established by Eric and Wendy Schmidt in partnership with the Rhodes Trust (and headquartered at Rhodes House), the Schmidt Science Fellows program recognises that many of the crises we face today do not fit within neat scientific boundaries. The program aims to inspire a new generation of scientific leaders to engage with science in an interdisciplinary way.

The redevelopment of Rhodes House began in November 2020 after six years of planning.

Scheduled to conclude in autumn 2022, the project will transform the building into a world-leading convening facility, with space to gather, learn, collaborate and share.

2023

Opening of the new Rhodes House ...and the celebration of the 120th Anniversary of the Rhodes Scholarship.

”... a curious wedding of high-roofed Cotswold and classical copper-domed rotunda” NIKOL AUS PEVSNER | BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND

HISTORY OF RHODES HOUSE

R

hodes House was designed

by Sir Herbert Baker, an English architect remembered as the dominant force in South African architecture at the turn of the 20th century, for his collaborations with Lutyens on the design of New Delhi, and for his work for the Bank of England.

Baker designed many buildings for Cecil Rhodes, including the rebuilding of Groote Schuur, Rhodes’ home in Rondebosch, which later became the official residence of the Prime Ministers of South Africa.

College, and the new building was completed in 1929. The House reflects a number of influences – Cape Dutch farmhouse, English country mansion, and the arts and crafts movement of the 1900s.

The Oxford site upon which Rhodes House is built was purchased in 1925 from Wadham

quotes Sir Michael Sadler who called it

Nikolaus Pevsner describes the building in the Oxfordshire volume of his Buildings of England series as: ‘… a curious wedding of high-roofed Cotswold and classical copper-domed rotunda… The building is an oddity, but it has personality enough to rouse affection in some. The one whose affections were strongest was Sir Herbert Baker, who in his memoirs “the most inspiring place in Oxford”.’

THE BRIEF

T

he number of Rhodes Scholars in Oxford has increased from 215 to 260 in recent years, and the Trust is looking to expand further to allow 325 Scholars in Residence by 2028. The activity within Rhodes House also continues to grow at pace, consisting primarily of convenings, formal and informal meetings amongst Rhodes Scholars (including visiting alumni), Atlantic Fellows and Schmidt Science Fellows.

This reflects the increasing importance of Rhodes House as a central hub for the exchange of knowledge and ideas, and for social interaction, amongst these various cohorts and others in the future. The benefit of academic institutions having residential accommodation is well proven, particularly the creation of immersive residential environments where communities can be fully supported for the entire event as a ‘retreat’ without being punctuated by the need to disperse to local hotels.

There is a pressing need for modern and fit-for-purpose office accommodation, to support the growing staff team of the Trust and its partnership programmes.

These need to be on site, to enable collaboration and coordination with Scholars and convenings.

Overview of project brief: • Convening centre: hall and foyer/ breakout space for up to 300 people • 37 guest bedrooms • Office space for up to 70 staff • Dedicated staff and Scholar facilities and meeting rooms • Ancillary spaces; garden facilities, glass garden pavilion, kitchen, storage

“For more than a century, the Rhodes Trust has been dedicated to fostering public service among young, diverse international Scholars committed to serving others and bettering society. Our £75 million grant to the Rhodes Trust to create the Atlantic Institute will help to create an independent convening, knowledge and experience-sharing hub for all of our Atlantic Fellows. Through the Atlantic Institute, we intend to build, support and strengthen an international community of emerging leaders.”

Christopher G. Oechsli President & CEO, The Atlantic Philanthropies

CONVENING SPACES

OUR VISION

OUR VISION FOR RHODES HOUSE Herbert Baker designed Rhodes House with clear zones for different uses. Over time, these zones have become less defined, rooms have been adapted for different purposes, and usable space has been commandeered wherever available. Our vision is to return a clarity to Rhodes House, with clear zoning – • The East Wing will return to its original residential use • The West Wing will be adapted for staff and Scholar accommodation • An enhanced central space will be created to include a convening centre and other spaces for gathering and sharing ideas Our vision includes a number of key features and considerations: R O T U N D A S TA I R C A S E As the basement of Rhodes House is opened up to create new conference and events spaces, a new spiral staircase will provide a direct and generous route into these reconfigured lowerground spaces. The circular form of this staircase will enhance the experience of moving through this circular space, and encourage visitors to look up at the dome above.

LIGHTWELLS Two glazed internal lightwells, created from the existing external courtyards either side of the Parkin Vestibule, will act as ‘lungs’ for the foyer and breakout spaces, bringing in natural daylight and enabling natural ventilation, whilst providing a visual connection to the outside.

CONVENING CENTRE The upper basement of Rhodes House will be refurbished to create the foyer and breakout spaces which will connect via the new glazed lightwells to the rotunda staircase and refurbished cloakrooms. The conference hall will have a flexible layout with removable partitions to accommodate a variety of events.

Q U A L I T Y O F M AT E R I A L S Herbert Baker’s designs for Rhodes House made extensive use of high-quality woodwork and stone floors throughout the principal spaces.

Our proposals seek to extend the quality of Baker’s materials into the newly reconfigured spaces, with warm terrazzo and timber finishes.

A LT E R AT I O N S T O H I S TO R I C S PAC E S The Rhodes Trust and Stanton Williams are working with Pendery Architecture and Heritage on the alterations to the East Wing and for the refurbishment of historically significant spaces in the House.

OUR VISION FOR RHODES HOUSE

New 16-bedroom sunken residential courtyard

Improved staff spaces: Lower-ground floor offices and garden room

Refurbished East Wing providing 21 en-suite bedrooms

State-of-the-art conference facilities in the refurbished basement

New garden pavilion (additional convening space)

Insertion of new lifts to make the building fully accessible

CONVENING SPACES

W

ith the growth in Scholar numbers and the expansion of operations as a result of our partnership programmes, the space required for convening and gathering at Rhodes House is no longer sufficient. The substantial basement, which has been empty and unused for some time, provides the ideal opportunity to create a stateof-the-art convening hall, along with breakout areas and flexible work spaces. With a further gathering space in the form of a beautiful, glasswalled garden pavilion, these new facilities will be critical for encouraging dialogue on a scale never before possible at Rhodes House.

“Rhodes House is a space which has continuously grown in importance to me and to all generations of my fellow Rhodes Scholars. Now, this unique building is being transformed to become a global collaboration centre that will be used in innovative ways to bring not only Rhodes Scholars but also the wider Oxford community and world leaders and experts together for inspiration, connection and learning.”

John McCall MacBain, O.C., Second Century Founder, Rhodes Trustee Emeritus and Chair of the Building Committee during design phase.

CONVENING SPACES

T H E R OT U N DA S TA I R C A S E

Our convening centre will be accessed via an elegant new spiral staircase created in the middle of the entrance rotunda. The staircase will be a thing of real beauty, skilfully crafted from stone, and equal to the building’s original architecture. Importantly, we see it as an element which will announce this new phase in Rhodes House’s history.

CONVENING SPACES

D

elegates will descend into the new foyer spaces, which will be created by reconfiguring existing store rooms and will be naturally lit through two newly glazed lightwells.

The foyer spaces will accommodate group breakout sessions and individual conversations, and will also provide space for the refreshments and receptions associated with our events, while formal dining will continue to take place in Milner Hall.

There will be a focus on high quality design and materials such as stone and timber joinery, ensuring that the attention to detail and quality of Baker’s original architecture above ground is equalled and mirrored in the new spaces, albeit in a contemporary fashion.

CONVENING SPACES

THE CONVENING HALL

The existing archive space – which was vacated by the Bodleian and which sits beneath the external terrace to the south of Milner Hall – will be transformed into a stunning, state-of-the-art convening hall which we see as becoming crucial to the delivery of ever more impactful events and collaborative opportunities. A new vaulted roof will provide a generosity of scale and flexibility for a variety of convenings, and clerestory windows will supply natural light and views of the garden beyond. This state-of-the-art conference centre will also be available for external hire, offering a unique fully catered residential facility in the heart of Oxford.

CONVENING SPACES

T

he reconfigurable convening hall will accommodate events for up to 300 participants, and will be equipped with the technology required to allow those who are in Oxford in person to interact fully and collaboratively with those in remote locations around the globe, using a series of large video walls.

We will also have the capacity to livestream events easily, and anticipate being able to invite our global community to stay connected with our Oxford community through regular streamed events. The AV systems will support those with impaired hearing or sight, and will also allow us to translate sessions simultaneously into two languages if required.

In these challenging times, it is more important than ever to provide the means for our local and global communities to work together collaboratively and effectively: digital innovation will enable us to stay connected much more readily.

“I welcome news that the Rhodes Trust is looking to establish a new conference centre which will provide an invaluable year-round resource for the University and Oxford. As a hub for the Rhodes Scholars and its partnership programmes, the new facility at Rhodes House will attract a global cohort of people committed to engaging critically and actively with society’s most pressing issues.”

Professor Louise Richardson Vice Chancellor, Oxford University

CONVENING SPACES

T H E G A R D E N PAV I L I O N

The beautiful glass pavilion will sit on the lawns to the west of the House, and will provide an additional convening space for Scholar events and other Rhodes Trust events and meetings.

SCHOLAR SPACES

R E S I D E N T I A L AC C O M M O DAT I O N

The provision of residential accommodation will be increased from the current nine bedrooms, to thirty-seven en-suite bedrooms, twenty-one of which will be provided in the newly refurbished East Wing of the House with the balance of sixteen bedrooms created in a sunken courtyard in the East Garden.

SCHOLAR SPACES

THE EAST GARDEN

The East Garden will have a sunken residential courtyard, with the ancient ramparts of the city of Oxford visible in the background.

THE EXCITEMENT IS BUILDING...

BUILDING IN PROGRESS 2021

ARCHITECTS AND CONTRACTORS

STANTON WILLIAMS

BEARD CONSTRUCTION

Stanton Williams is a Stirling Prize-winning architectural practice based in London. The practice has developed its portfolio from an initial focus on museums and galleries towards a wide variety of projects, all of which demonstrate its overarching objective of putting the user’s experience of space, light and materials at the forefront of the agenda, as well as creating places that sensitively respond to their cultural, social and physical context.

Beard was established at the end of the 19th Century, and during the past 130 years has redeveloped a significant proportion of Oxford’s historic centre and the estate of the University, collecting many awards along the way as a result of its sensitivity to historic buildings and in particular its fine craftsmanship, which blends seamlessly with that of the original buildings.

Having recently completed the Musée d’arts de Nantes in France, the Royal Opera House ‘Open Up’ transformation in London and a new research centre for Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, Stanton Williams is currently working on a major educational project for UCL East Marshgate and the new Museum of London at West Smithfield. Stanton Williams designed the Berrow Foundation Building at Lincoln College, Oxford, which won the RIBA South Building of the Year Award in 2017.