The proposal for St Hugh’s College involved the extension and reconfiguration of the academic ensemble along St Margaret’s Road, with the aim of restoring the Wolfson Building—widely regarded as one of the College’s most significant works—and weaving it together with new spaces for study, living and community life.
The scheme balances preservation and transformation: the refurbishment of the Wolfson and Kenyon buildings is complemented by a light, transparent central volume that relinks the surrounding structures. Around this new communal heart—conceived as a generous atrium—
are arranged the project’s main functions: reading rooms, study and meeting spaces, a bar, workshops and flexible areas beneath a gently curved roof that filters natural light and shapes a welcoming interior atmosphere.
Juan Valeros contributed to this competition from its earliest stages, playing a key role in developing the overall layout and the relationship between new and existing buildings. His work focused on design coordination and on defining the architectural character of the project, with particular attention to the atrium, its roof structure and the spatial integration of the academic and residential areas.
