Oxford Institute of Digital Health

NBBJ and Purcell are transforming the Gibson and Harkness Buildings into a new home for the Oxford Institute of Digital Health (OIDH). The design maximises the use of existing structures, delivering high-quality spaces via strategic refurbishment, sensitive interventions and new connections, while preserving the historic context and enhancing the Grade 1 listed Radcliffe Observatory.

Located adjacent to the Observatory, the site was once home to the Radcliffe Infirmary and has undergone significant redevelopment. The Gibson and Harkness Buildings, constructed in the 1940s and 1960s, faced partial closure due to asbestos, while remaining areas in use were in poor condition, limited accessibility and inadequate energy performance. Avoiding demolition through careful design interventions, the project aligns with the University’s goals to maximise space, enhance energy performance and create adaptable facilities for students, staff, and the wider University community. A glazed roof unifies the two buildings, creating a cohesive identity while a shared courtyard creates a “green heart” fostering collaboration, informal working and restorative moments. Targeting Passivhaus EnerPHit Standards, the project incorporates passive strategies including a compact form, airtight envelope and solar shading. A key feature is a ground-bearing, post-tensioned limestone screen—a low-carbon façade that eliminates the need for structural reinforcement. Aligned with Oxford’s NZC 2040 ambitions, the design offers a sustainable, adaptive solution while enhancing the observatory’s surroundings and historic character. Retention was a central focus of the design, however, where new elements were introduced, they were designed to deliver high impact, such as the structure for the courtyard roof, terraces and balconies. These additions significantly enhance the usable space, creating areas for student gatherings, conferences and improving accessibility across the once disjointed buildings. A hybrid envelope strategy limits external over-cladding to the façade that faces the Radcliff Observatory Quarter and unifies the building’s appearance while improving the Observatory’s historical context. Prestressed, ground-bearing natural stone allows for a heavy replacement façade without increasing the load on the existing structure. This innovative material allows natural stone to span considerable distances and form tall columns or mullions. Compared to steel with stone veneer or precast concrete alternatives, prestressed stone has approximately one-third of the embodied carbon. Additionally, its quarrying impact on the natural environment is significantly lower than that of materials such as cement, gravel, sand or iron. The historic brick façades will be retained, celebrating their timeless character. Internal insulation, along with enhancements to ground floor slabs and the roof, delivers a high-performance envelope, reducing operational carbon while preserving the building’s architectural heritage. In addition, the proposed enclosed courtyard will provide efficient routes for air supply and extraction, seamlessly integrated with the new air source heat pumps positioned in the redeveloped southwest corner. By limiting new construction, the design minimises the need to strengthen the existing structure to support additional mechanical systems.