Architecture firm Morris + Company has won approval from Oxford City Council for their four-story Oxford India Centre scheme at Somerville College. The project, which will be named the Ratan Tata Building, will create a permanent home for the Oxford-India Centre directly across from Herzog & de Meuron's 2015 Blavatnik School of Government. The approval was granted this month under delegated powers following Morris + Company's winning design from an invited competition.
The building is named after Ratan Tata, the renowned Indian industrialist and philanthropist who served as chairman emeritus of the Tata Group until his death last year. Morris + Company, the east London-based architectural practice, first unveiled their design in October of last year. This marks the firm's first collaboration with the University of Oxford, representing a significant milestone for both organizations.
The 700-square-meter facility will feature flexible teaching, study, and event spaces designed to accommodate various academic activities. An internal link will connect eight tutor rooms, two seminar rooms, and additional flexible study and events spaces to the college's existing buildings. The comprehensive facility will include six tutor rooms, one seminar room, one board room/seminar room, one Chai Ideas room, two research rooms, a flexible hall space, and a rooftop terrace.
At ground level, the building will feature a multi-use event space that connects to a newly landscaped area opposite St. Paul's Nursery, one of Oxford's first childcare facilities. The design incorporates an opening façade intended to provide a public-facing presence and strengthen community engagement. A large oculus above the main entrance has been strategically positioned to maximize natural sunlight throughout the building.
Sustainability plays a central role in the building's design, incorporating Passivhaus principles throughout the structure. The environmentally conscious approach includes an airtight envelope, mass timber frame construction, air-source heat pumps, and solar panels. These features demonstrate the university's commitment to sustainable architecture and reduced environmental impact.
Practice director Joe Morris emphasized the building's symbolic importance, stating: "The Ratan Tata Building is conceived as a beacon for Somerville's RISE campaign, a place where inclusivity, sustainability, and academic ambition converge. Our design responds to the heritage of Oxford while creating an exemplar of contemporary architecture: a building that is both sensitive and bold, efficient and delightful, deeply rooted in its context yet open to the future."
The project involves an extensive team of consultants and specialists. Bidwells serves as both project manager and planning consultant, while the structural engineering is handled by London Structures Labs. Additional team members include Etch as service engineer, Eckersley O'Callaghan as façade engineer, Bureau Veritas for fire engineering, Hann Tucker for acoustic engineering, CHP as cost consultant, Townshend as landscape consultant, and Socotec for building control.
The new facility is located in Oxford's Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, positioning it within one of the university's key academic districts. While approval has been secured, Morris + Company and Somerville College have not yet announced a specific timeline for the project's completion. The building represents a significant investment in Oxford's academic infrastructure and international partnerships, particularly strengthening ties with India through dedicated space for research, teaching, and cultural exchange.
