The Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities in Oxford is well and truly open; there was an Open Day this weekend. It’s the product of a big donation of £185 million from Stephen Schwarzman, CEO of the Blackstone Group. It’s an ambitious development close to the old Observatory on the Radcliffe site. There’s a large and airy central atrium with cafes. As well as libraries and lecture rooms, there’s a concert hall and theatre and cinema and high tech exhibition spaces. The place is designed with the University’s net zero carbon emissions policies in mind on the principles of Passivhaus; the building is ultra energy-efficient.

The project consolidates one of the ways in which Oxford went wrong in 2001

The project consolidates one of the ways in which Oxford went wrong in 2001

To quote the Centre’s website, “Here, academia’s hallowed halls take new forms…all in the name of new thinking and expression.” Plus, there’s a centre for Ethics and AI.

Where once there were 22 buildings for the seven humanities faculties – languages, history etc – they’re together, so that, in principle, different disciplines meet. And – farewell town and gown. Alexandra Vincent, the cheerful CEO, declared that where other institutions were about keeping people out this one “is about bringing people in”.

Yet there is a yet. My instinct is that it’s not actually necessary in........

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