Context 166 - November 2020

C O N T E X T 1 6 6 : N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 0 25 Oxford medieval peers, St Antony’s College is not hidden away behind gates and the Hilda Besse Building is readily glimpsed from the road, so its deteriorating exterior was becoming a detracting feature in what is otherwise a strikingly framed view of the building. The ambition for the external repairs was to match the existing surface as closely as possible such that the repairs would be apparent only from up close. It was recognised that an honest, SPAB-style repair that was plain to see would only detract from the unity of the building as a whole. The original surface would be difficult to replicate entirely faithfully as the concrete blocks were originally cast face down within a form and then removed before being fully cured, at which time the surface was washed down to expose the rich aggregate. The aesthetic of this has been re-created where the concrete had deteriorated using different mortars and aggregate applied by hand to the surface.The project team considered the use of a sealant but quickly concluded that a quality repair would considerably outlive the lifespan of any sealant and such exercise was consequently needless. Prior to repairs, surface cleaning proceeded relatively simply using a Doff system or, where areas of the internal concrete are too finely cast to endure the heat of the steam, simply washing down with a light detergent. Photographs from the 1970s showing the building when it was new reveal a bright exterior: the result of freshly-cast concrete and gleaming aggregate. While the internal alterations will no doubt vastly improve the usability of the building, it is perhaps safe to say that its external overhaul will draw equal, if not more, exclaim. Inclusive access One of the principal challenges with the Hilda Besse Building became evident even before fully entering it: to facilitate step-free access, a temporary ramp had long been positioned over one half of the entrance lobby steps. Further to this, the distinctive plinth on which the building sits prohibits direct step-free circumnavigation around from one side of the campus to the other. Given the aspiration to future-proof the building as the heart of the college, it was a critical part of the project brief to address the building’s shortcomings when it came to inclusive access and connectivity. The plinth and its engineering brick con- struction ultimately facilitated a smart design solution to this issue. New ramps replaced the steps within the entrance lobbies on either side of the building, detailed using the same engineering brick finish, and the external plinth was extended outwards on the south side of the building to create a level path from one side of the college to the other. This was also extended on the east side of the building to create a new ramp with neatly detailed steps that reads as an entirely comfortable evolution of HKPA’s original design. The original HKPA master plan was never fully realised. The college became an eclectic mix of former convent buildings, the Hilda Bess Building being one realised feature from a much wider master plan, and a series of later buildings. Unlike the all-encompassing and unified sense of place at St Catherine’s College, a near contemporary of St Antony’s, the Hilda Besse Building sits within a space that is almost accidental. With the improvements to connectivity around the building, the project will also rationalise the landscape: creating a recognisable ‘Oxford quad’ but retaining the informality which St Antony’s celebrates. The refurbishment of the building has served as a reminder of the importance of tailoring a bespoke conservation philosophy: seeking inspi- ration from similar projects and the building itself but accepting that there is no one-size-fits- all solution. Once complete, this will still be the same building known and loved by the college, only smarter, more efficient and fit for at least another 50 years. Hettie Dix is a senior heritage consultant at Purcell, based in Oxford. A freshly cleaned window ‘eyelid’ in the foreground, with stained examples behind