Sustainability Award

David Kohn Architects’ Gradel Quadrangles at New College Oxford is a bold reimagining of the traditional quadrangle, comprising three distinctive buildings arranged around a garden of mature trees. A sinuous three-storey student housing block contains 94 bedrooms, shared kitchens, communal study spaces, and a basement music performance auditorium. The western side of the building houses classrooms, an assembly hall, and canteen, while a seven-storey tower with a curlicue-profiled top provides office space. Completing the composition is a single-storey arched gatehouse at the site’s entrance. 

Glass Box Facades was appointed by Sir Robert McAlpine to deliver the comprehensive Schüco curtain walling, window, door, and bespoke aluminium cladding package. The façade incorporates a striking array of window shapes, including round, arched, hexagonal, and trefoil forms, accented with oriels, eyelid details, and circular rooflights. Bespoke capping, fins, and perforated panels, laser-cut with a trefoil motif, further enhance the scheme’s sculptural quality. 

Meeting the aesthetic and performance demands of the complex geometry required extensive collaboration. Regular coordination meetings, detailed design reviews, and 3D modelling ensured precise alignment across trades, critical for both manufacturing and installation tolerances. Schüco façade systems were chosen for their flexibility and high-performance credentials. Thermally-efficient AWS 75.SI windows and ADS 75.SI doors were complemented by manual and tiptronic opening lights to meet ventilation and energy targets. Fire safety compliance was achieved with ADS 80 FR 30 and ADS 80 FR 60 units. 

The project’s bespoke forms demanded meticulous fabrication. Schüco AWS 75.SI and FWS 50 profiles were custom-curved and welded before anodising, adhering to strict colour variation limits. 

Sustainability was a key focus. BIM modelling and EPDs enabled a whole-life carbon assessment. The piling mix incorporates 52 percent ground granulated blast furnace slag, cutting carbon emissions by over half. Highperformance, low-iron solar control glass reduces cooling loads. On-site zero-carbon electricity and low-carbon transport contribute to further savings, aligning with the College’s Net Zero Carbon by 2035 commitment. 

The jury praised the project for its idiosyncratic and ambitious reimagining of the quadrangle typology, highlighting the technical challenges overcome through the use of Schüco façade systems. It commended the way these systems enabled the building’s bold geometries and intricate detailing, while also meeting stringent environmental and fire safety requirements.