In 2023 Murray Edwards College launched a competition for an estates strategy. They had ambitious aims to develop the strategy with sustainability and wellbeing at its heart, and wanted to come up with a pioneering design that looked to the future yet treasured the College’s heritage.
Their brief was heartfelt, passionate, and dedicated to improving the experience for staff, students and visitors, and we were absolutely delighted to win.
Founded as New Hall in 1954, the College moved to its current site in 1964 and into buildings designed by Chamberlin, Powell and Bon, which feature an iconic dome and are now Grade II* listed. The College was renamed in 2005 in celebration of a generous donor alumna and the College’s first President.
Murray Edwards’ beautiful grounds are well looked after by the gardening team as well as the young women who live there, who are – unusually for a College – allowed to pick the flowers and help themselves to fruit and vegetables. The College is also famous for its impressive art collection, with artworks enlivening every wall and sculptures dotted around the gardens. The estates strategy aims to make more of this with a dedicated space for more fragile pieces and curated exhibitions. The College would also like to explore options to bring more postgraduate accommodation onto their campus and make Murray Edwards synonymous with wellbeing, inclusivity and sustainability in all its forms. It's an exciting project, and the design team fully embraced creative ideas to meet the College’s brief.
