“I have been overwhelmed by the very reaction from so many people. The ambition and the vision of this truly project has caught the imagination of , friends and parents alike, as well as many others in the University community.� Giles Henderson, Master
Entering Pembroke through the Lodge, the familiar faces of our Porters greet visitors and direct them on their way. From October 2012 even long-standing visitors to the College have been in need of a little guidance; finding their way across the Bridge to the new complex. Right, through Chapel Quad and the old Fellows’ Garden and then, step over.... ....Over the bridge visitors will discover 21st Century Pembroke. On arrival, there’s a choice of directions to take for onward travel, including an outdoor staircase featuring several small terraced gardens on the way to the ground floor part-grassed level; green “The has spaces juxtaposed with modern arnow been transferred to the new chitecture, glass and steel. We now Gallery and I’m it will have a splendid view of the Lutyens become a rival destination to building of Campion Hall, which forms our neighbours at Modern Art the other side of our quad, and when Oxford” Pablo Picasso, Art Rep the sunlight comes streaming into our (2011) open area, it reminds us how fortunate we are to have found this space for extension in central Oxford. Our new communal facilities (café, art gallery, multi-purpose theatre, seminar rooms, etc.) are rapidly becoming informal meeting points, must-see venues, and increasingly sought-after by Fellows and students alike. We were delighted to welcome “It was hard to envisage the room students into their brand new bed- I’d be moving into, but now I’m . Being on rooms this term, and much enjoy- here, it feels like the new site is so exciting – I feel ment and respectful reverence like I’m in the of the College” resulted when reading the name Joanna Banana (2012) plaques commemorating donors to the project; from the simple statement of name and matriculation year of the donor, to those wishing to use the plaque to send on a more personal message to the incumbent. All go to reinforce the idea of a community now expanding to accommodate another year’s intake. In addition to our brand new buildings, we have incorporated the old; the 17th Century grade 2 listed Bannister Buildings. This area has been lovingly restored with timbers replaced and rooms refurbished. Extra bathrooms have been added, and all rooms are back in service as student accommodation as of the beginning of October. The whole of our new site lies within an area of Oxford slated for redevelopment and there is no doubt that our restoration work, and our replacement of old warehouse and car-park areas with new stone-clad buildings has added much to the kerb-appeal of our neighbourhood.
“We’ve been to have had such generous input from the band of volunteers who have made up the Campaign Board, both in the UK and across the world. Not simply for their financial contributions, but the generous gift of their time over the last few years, without them we wouldn’t have seen this become a ” Andrew Seton, Strategic Development Director
“After seven years of planning, it is no exaggeration to say that to see the fourth Quad become a reality is a dream come true. I must start by paying tribute to the way in which everyone at Pembroke has rallied round to support the project; there has been a lot of disruption but everyone has accepted this with good grace and enthusiasm. There have been hiccups on the way; the acquisition of the land required and the agreement to have a footbridge over Brewer Street were stumbling blocks that we, in time, managed to negotiate but caused a few headaches in the process. We always knew that the bridge was absolutely critical in allowing us to design the new buildings as an extension to the Pembroke’s main site, with a broad range of facilities, rather than just an annexe, which would otherwise have been accessed from outside the College. The challenge was getting agreement from English Heritage and the Oxford City Conservation Officer on the one hand and the Oxfordshire Highways Department on the other. In the end, and with a lot of creativity from our architects, Berman Geddes Stretton and our structural engineers Price and Myers, we were able to satisfy all parties. Once the design was agreed the only thing left to negotiate was the construction and installation– it is an innovative design and the contractors were working in a very tight space – but we did it! Also worthy of mention is the archaeological findings which – at one point – seemed to be causing worrying delay to the Build. They were also the source of much interest, however, especially when we unearthed the foundations of the 17th century malt house which gave Brewer Street its name. A key part of the project was the Kitchen/Hall refurbishment, completed last year. This updating of the Hall allowed us to extend the Kitchen, add a Servery, install cost-effective under-floor heating throughout, extend and refurbish the Forte Room and create the Cellar Bar in the vaults of the building. And it’s not just the contractors who have been working hard to make the new Pembroke a reality; we’ve recruited Huw Edmunds as Head of Conferences and Events to promote the great venue we now have to host events and conferences. Most importantly, however, we can finally once again offer three years accommodation to all of our undergraduates and to more graduates as well, including flats for couples. The café has already become a go-to destination, not just for the JCR and MCR, but Fellows, staff and friends of the Collegecan often be found there – it’s made a huge difference to College life. Pembroke now offers students state of the art facilities combined with the traditional features of an Oxford college, all on the main site, right in Oxford’s vibrant city centre. This will make Pembroke stand out from other Colleges and, most important, will also show how much progress the College has made over the last decade.“
“It’s a great pleasure to be associated with such an exciting project. I have been very impressed by the of all involved and the finished result exceeds my – already high – expectations. Pembroke has made a statement about its ambitions for the future” Julian Schild (1977), Campaign Chairman
Our heartfelt thanks to all donors who have helped made this once-in-lifetime project a reality. Complete donor lists to the Bridging Centuries Campaign will be available in this year’s Annual Report, to be mailed with the College Record in December 2012. We’d like to take this opportunity, however, to give special thanks to all those alumni who have been moved to donate this calendar year, contributing significant gifts of over £10,000. These gifts will entitle the donors listed below to naming opportunities from a plank on the iconic Bridge (£10,000) or the chance to add their own message to a plaque outside a student bedroom (£20,000), to a suite in the new Complex (£50,000), a Seminar Room (£200,000) or even a Quad named in their honour(£1M). Students have filled the bedrooms, and what this time last year was a building site, is now a thriving extension to our existing site, in other words; a fully functioning part of the College, but there is still the chance for your name to be immortalised in the ‘fabric of the College’. Please contact Catherine Beckett or Andrew Seton in the Development Office for further details.
1948 1951 1951 1953 1957 1959 1960 1961 1963 1965 1966 1966 1966 1967 1968 1968 1968 1969 1970 1970 1970
Mr Thomas Wilson The Rt Hon Michael Heseltine CH Sheikh Mahfouz bin Mahfouz Mr Michael Beaumont Mr Michael Wandless Mr David Tagg, CBE Lord John Kerr, GCMG Mr Digby Murphy Mr John Walker-Haworth Dr Julian Sternberg Mr Ian Cormack Mr Neil Arnold, FCMA Mr Hector Sants Mr Robert Triggs Mr Alan Archibald, QC Mr Peter Farthing Mr Paul Monk Mr Ian Wells Mr Robert Farquharson Mr Dirk Hertzog Mr Rhodri Price Lewis, QC
1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1977 1977 1980 1981 1981 1981 1981 1982 1987 1989 1989 1990 1992 1993 1995 1995
His Honour Anthony Russell Professor Graham Layer, DM Mr Nicholas Howick Mr Charles MacKinnon Mr Walter Isaacson Mr Jeremy Hill Mr Julian Schild Mr John Morrissey Mr Robert Morgan-Williams Mr George Rivaz Mr David Rowland Mr Stephen Gosztony Mr Jonathan Helliwell Mr Matthew Kirkby Mr Olivier Meyohas Mr Christopher Rokos Mr Jeremy Goldring Mr David Rubenstein Mr Christopher Hawley Mr Bader El-Jeaan Mr Leandros Kalisperas
“If you’re reading this, it’s because you love Pembroke and the time you spent there mattered to you. Give something back. The College changed your life, and you have an obligation to make sure the next generations have that opportunity as well.” Patrick Pichette (1987)