02 Achieving the aspiration
Breathing new life into Osney Power Station
In the heart of Oxford on the banks of the Thames, the Saïd Business School is transforming the historic Osney Power Station into a Global Centre of Excellence for Executive Education.
Our Project Management team at Ridge is providing full services for this ambitious, complex and highly sensitive programme.
Headline here
The Business School’s residential courses are currently run from a respected but remote 1960s facility that no longer meets its ambition. The redevelopment of Osney Power Station – a landmark Victorian building that’s listed on the City Council’s Heritage Register – will change that.
Alongside a top-quality team, we’re delivering a space that respects the site’s industrial past while creating flexible, future-focused environments.
This includes modular teaching spaces, an ‘agora-style’ hub, AV/IT suites, leisure facilities and over 120 en-suite bedrooms. An ‘agora’ is a marketplace or public open space where the ancient Greeks gathered. Today, the power station’s turbine hall lends itself perfectly, providing a spacious, bright and vibrant meeting place for the Business School’s students.
Who’s who at Osney Power Station
Project Management – Ridge
Architect – John McAslan + Partners
Structural Engineer – Mann Williams
M&E Engineer – LP
Built on heritage
The design champions Osney Power Station’s industrial identity. It retains three original facades, exposed brickwork, a crane and 14 steel windows from the 1920s.
The structure’s design reflects the steel frame added in the 1950s, blending its heritage with contemporary use. We have exceeded the building’s ‘semi-listed’ expectations every step of the way.
We worked closely with conservation officers, many stakeholders and the local community to protect the integrity of this important Oxford landmark.