Designs done that!
Approval done that!
Detailed designs done that!
Tender done that!
Accepting the Tender working on that!
Lead-in
START!
1 Designs:
The original concept of our New Building matured over about twenty years, beginning with sketches on scraps of paper, gradually working out what would be necessary, what would be desirable, what would be possible given the extremely cramped site we inherited when the Oratory arrived in 1990, a site which is very difficult of access.
Half a dozen architects gave us outline ideas, three did more detailed drawings, one gained our approval. Not the cheapest option, but by far the most interesting, and the one which understood the peculiar nature of the Catholic Church in general and the Oratory in particular. One day we will mount a little Exhibition called "Unbuilt Oxford, Volume II" of the designs we did not follow up. They include one with glazed tower blocks, and one with a series of "granny flats" for individual Fathers... Other designs gave over half our precious space to a "conference centre" which we ourselves might use once or twice a year. Eventually we refined our concept of what was needed, thought of all possible needs, and gave our brief to Anthony Delarue, who does understand what an Oratory parish is.
With the help of an eccentric amateur model-maker, Anthony Delarue put together photographs that show how little impact our new building will have on the neighbourhood: Here is the view from the street if you stand at the extreme right end of the church entrance, before and after:
We are also concerned for our neighbours, the good ladies (and now gentlemen) of Somerville College, so we can show you "before and after" views from their gardens to the south of the Church. Can you spot the difference?
It is characteristic of our age that we have to consider, not what a stunning and tremendous impact our new building might have on the environment, but how little impact! It will be a "Hidden Gem" because only those who venture inside the Church will find their way into the new extensions and be overwhelmed. We think Oxford now has enough specimen buildings of the flat-topped glass-walled International Style to keep people happy for centuries (if the buildings last that long), which is why we have gone for something radically new in style - and also in construction so that our new building should out-last most of the flat-tops around us.
The main model is on display in the Church, at the back of the left-hand aisle. It looks like this:
From left to right, you can see the Accommodation Block, above the new parish office, servery and bar; the Staircase and lift tower; the New LIbrary above the Parish meeting roms; the cortile or open courtyard (really a glorified fire-escape and light well); the new Chapel with the amber glazing over the altar recess, and the Baptistery with rehearsal and chapter room above. The Outside is pretty plain; to see the Inside go to the pages about the Library and Chapel.
If you can interpret Architectural Plans, you are welcome to come and ask to see the complete set. Here are a few of Anthony Delarue's designs in a more technical form, in the final version which has received approval:
New Building First Floor
New Building Ground Floor
New Building Elevations
2 Approval
After the plans had been discussed with our neighbours and drawn up, and commented on, and revised, and redrawn, and informally shown to the authorities, and then re-submitted, and redrafted, and discussed with our neighbours again, and finally submited to the Diocesan and Civil Planing committees....
we have planning permission for our new building, with only two portions lost. The Diocesan Historic Church Commission objected to the planned Roman portico across the front of the church, but have agreed to all else. The City Planners objected to the little balcony on the accommodation block: we had hoped to be able to sit out occasionally in the summer evenings but that now has been removed and so we have agreement for all else. That permission endures, as long as we make a Significant Start within three years from Christmas 2010.
3 Detailed Designs.
So we proceeded to the detailed "Tender Drawing" stage. That takes an incredibly long time: every detail has to be thought of, pondered over, discussed, meditated upon, revised and thought about again. Nothing very exciting for the layman - or even for the clergy. The calibre of bolts, the PH content of concrete, the resistivity of slates... How is the weight to be distributed, where will it rest... No, we are not having a low-level lead-covering for the roof of the porch ... Yes we are re-cycling for the Library the elegant cast iron spiral staircase that at present leads to the Choir Organ but is concealed. We had to investigate where the water table is, and make sure it didn't wobble. What petrochemicals, heavy metals and rare earths are in the subsoil (none, actually). The level of the Gravel Terrace on which most Oxford buildings rest (found at 1.2 metres down consistently). One thing after another after another. in the meantime making sure our neighbours were "content" with the building as planned and approved, and assessing the extent to which the building may be or may not be liable to V.A.T. (It is treated as an extension to the Church which is a Listed Place of Worship, so good hope there.)
Nothing much to show for this stage, and so we Went Out to Tender in October 2011.
4 Tender
A shortlist of six contractors was selected, whom we invited to Tender for the Construction of the First Phase of the New Building. The First Phase is the Accommodation Block, the Parish roms, and the Library, and the Foundations and Service Pipes for the remainder of the project, and even this Phase will be done in Steps.
5 Accepting the Tender
Five of the Contractors replied in time in late November 2011: two of them were very considerably more expensive than the others. We spoke to College Bursars and others who had experience of work done recently by the more promising Contractors, and heard what they were like to work with. And so we encouragd them to clarify a few points, be more specific about others, and tell us how they would approach the construction, what Steps they can divide the First Phase into, when can they start....
And so in January 2012 we have got well into the fifth of our seven headings.
we will try to keep this Page up to date as we move on, and on, and on....
