Kingerlee | The Spencer Building, Corpus Christi College

The Spencer Building at Corpus Christi College, Oxford

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2026 RIBA South Award

The Spencer Building, a Passivhaus certified library for Corpus Christi College, Oxford University.

Architect

Wright & Wright

Structural Engineer

Alan Baxter

Quantity Surveyor

Ridge and Partners LLP

Passivhaus and Acoustic Designer

Max Fordham

Passivhaus Certified
New library and Special Collections archive
Constructed against three retained historic façades, including a medieval city wall and the College’s sixteenth century library
Provided wheelchair access to the College's sixteenth century library for the first time in its existence

Kingerlee worked with Wright and Wright Architects and the wider client team to deliver a new library for Corpus Christi College in Oxford. It is among the first projects of its kind in the UK to be built within a Grade I listed setting.

The project created carefully controlled environmental conditions to preserve the College’s Special Collection of early printed books and manuscripts. Naturally lit reading rooms overlooking the garden quad are arranged over three floors, providing a range of study environments suited to modern needs.

The scheme delivers inspiring, accessible spaces, including step-free access, wheelchair-compatible desks, and dedicated research areas, giving wheelchair users access to the 16th-century library for the first time. Set between the Medieval City Wall to the west, a retained listed façade to the east, and the College’s 16th-century Old Library to the south, the Spencer Building occupies one of Oxford’s most constrained and historically sensitive sites.

The Special Collection Centre achieved Passivhaus Classic certification, a leading low-energy design standard, delivering high levels of thermal comfort, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency through detailed design, precise construction, and rigorous quality assurance.

Read the Passivhaus Trust Article

RIBA