Townsend Building, University of Oxford

Quantum leap

We were commissioned by the University of Oxford to transform two floors of the historic Grade II-listed Townsend Building, part of the Department of Physics, into a modern research and workspace for two new research groups and the Oxford Quantum Institute.

Originally built between 1908 and 1910 in the “Wrennaissance” style, the Townsend Building was designed to be the university’s Second Electrical Laboratory. Now we’ve transformed two now-obsolete labs into workspace for the next generation of physicists.

A black-and-white drawing of the University of Oxford Townsend Building from 1909 with an ornate Baroque revival facade.

Researchers work in a bright, well-lit office space with large chalkboards on the walls displaying diagrams and notes. The room has a high ceiling, thoughtful interior design, and heritage details.

Working closely with heritage consultants, we stripped the building back to its original fabric, removing modern ad hoc partitions and accumulated lab equipment while celebrating heritage details. For example, we uncovered two original balance tables and turned them into features of the new workspace.

A sage-green bookshelf displaying academic textbooks, office supplies, and a small houseplant. Visible titles include

A scientist wearing glasses and a brown jumper in front of a black chalkboard covered in complex equations and diagrams. He is actively engaged in solving or explaining an advanced problem. The board has a pale wooden trim and is mounted on a rich dark red panel.

A close-up photograph of three pieces of chalk on a weathered table top, showing stains and other marks from its years of use.

A well-lit office space with modern furniture and fittings. A person in a plaid shirt is drawing diagrams on a chalkboard mounted on the dark red wall. A person in a denim shirt is standing next to a seated colleague in the foreground. Another chalkboard is partly visible to the left.

Gently curving blackboards line the walls and wrap around breakout spaces, providing ample space for jotting down an equation or working through a problem with a colleague. This feature also creates a consistent link between the Townsend Building and its neighbour, the RIBA Award-winning Beecroft Building, which we designed for the Department back in 2018.

A bright, open-plan office within a heritage building. Ventilation and servicing is visible beneath the high, curved ceiling. One wall features a bookcase painted a soft green, while dark red and muted orange partition walls are visible in the background. A chalkboard displays scientific workings, suggesting academic collaboration. At the other end of the room, the glass door to a meeting room is visible. Researchers are dotted around the workstations, working independently and collaborating.

A detail shot shows a white pendant light hanging inside a neutrally-coloured study nook. The curved entrance to the nook is painted with a warm orange accent.

An academic wearing a suit working on a desktop computer next to a large window in a cellular office.

Detail shot showing light fittings and ventilation ducts.

Two researchers engaged in conversation in a collaborative workspace. A person with long hair and a striped shirt is writing on a curved chalkboard covered in complex mathematical equations, while another long-haired person in blue jeans observes. In the foreground, there is a circular wooden table surrounded by light wooden chairs with green cushions. Large windows provide natural light to the room, which has a modern, open feel with heritage elements.

By removing non-original partitions, the design allows for a more modern open-plan layout, with cellular offices for senior academics, quiet nooks for focused study, and breakout spaces for collaboration and discussion.