NEWS
Opening of the Gateway Buildings
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he opening of the completed Gateway Buildings took place on 26 March 2013. The project was officially opened by His Excellency Ghassan I Shaker, after whom one of the buildings is named in appreciation of his support. Ghassan Shaker, who was educated at St John’s College in Cambridge, is now the Founder and Chairman of several companies in Asia and Europe, and he also serves as UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador supporting projects that assist the victims of war, and serve to aid with education and microfinance. The two buildings comprise 54 en suite student rooms, several of them accessible for those with special needs as well as office space for 30 staff. They also contain a new porters’ lodge and lobby, and conference facilities on the upper floor. The Gateway Buildings give a sense of coherence to the entire College, pulling together buildings from different periods and in architectural styles. The Gateway Buildings enclose the central quadrangle, an important symbol which brings St Antony’s in tune with the classic Oxford college style. Renewable energy is provided by ground source heat along with solar panels placed at roof level. A new energy centre reduces overall carbon emissions and running costs. The Warden, Professor Margaret MacMillan, said: “This is a hugely important project for the College both in terms of the increased accommodation and the related income stream it bring us, but also in giving us a new identity that enhances the pride among Fellows, staff, and the students. We are sure the Gateway Buildings will greatly aid us in what is becoming an increasingly competitive global market for post-graduate education.” Dr Hal Jones, Director of the North American Studies Programme, added: “Our guests at the North American Studies Programme’s recent conference on Arctic governance were very favourably impressed by the accommodations and meeting facilities in the Gateway Buildings. The success of the conference can be attributed in no small measure to the quality of the facilities and service that were available at St Antony’s.” In recognition of the architectural value of this project, St Antony’s was announced as one of three joint winners in the New Buildings category for the Gateway Buildings at the Oxford Preservation Trust Awards ceremony on 12 November 2013. The College has been presented with a plaque to display in College. On page 24 you can find further information about the Gateway Campaign. We hope you will be able to visit St Antony’s to see the new buildings for yourself.
The Gateway Buildings. Architect: Bennetts Associates. Photographer: ©Hufton+Crow
The Softbridge: a groundbreaking building
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fter seven years of preparation, the College formally broke ground on the Softbridge, the new building for the Middle East Centre, on 30 January 2013. The Warden welcomed the architect Dame Zaha Hadid, the Vice Chancellor, the Lord Mayor of Oxford, and over 150 guests to witness the event. Mr Nemir Kirdar, Honorary Fellow, spoke on behalf of Investcorp, the international investment management company he founded in 1982, whose gift of £11 million covers the construction costs of this landmark building which, upon completion, will be known as the Investcorp Building. Since breaking ground, work on the project has proceeded dramatically. Mr Kirdar returned to College in September 2013 for a site visit. Mr Anthony Nagel from BAM, the contractors building the Softbridge, guided Mr Kirdar, the Bursar and Middle East Centre fellows through the foundations of the building. Mr Kirdar, representing Investcorp, was formally welcomed into the Chancellor’s Court of Benefactors (CCB) on 24 September 2013 in recognition of the exceptionally generous gift for the Softbridge building. Providing a state-of-the-art lecture theatre, library and archive facilities, the Softbridge is slated for completion by autumn 2014, and will be one of the showcases of the University Alumni Weekend in September 2014.
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Mr Nemir Kirdar with MEC Fellow Dr Eugene Rogan, examining the building works for the Softbridge