On 24 April 2026, Wolfson College celebrated the topping out of the Garden Building. President Sir Tim Hitchens was joined by architects from Perkins&Will and building contractors from Benfield & Loxley, as well as a number of College staff and Fellows. The topping out ceremony is a builders’ tradition held when the last beam is placed on top of the building during construction. 

The ceremony was followed by a reception in the Harbour Quad, celebrating the successful topping out with the College’s Governing Body Fellows and members of the Domestic and Premises and the Garden Building Steering Committees. 

About the Garden Building  

The Garden Building will be a three-storey residential development providing 50 high-quality student bedrooms, supported by communal kitchens, shared study areas, and a thoughtful design that prioritises community, wellbeing, and sustainability.  

It will be located on the former South Car Park, a site that is ideal for redevelopment as the College encourages a move away from fossil fuel vehicles. The building’s design honours the College’s original Grade II-listed architecture while introducing a modern and environmentally responsible new space. 

The Garden Building will reflect the spirit of the College’s original design – clean modernist lines, communal layout, and working in harmony with the surrounding gardens. Its flint cladding will offer a sympathetic contrast to the granite facades of the older buildings, blending in beautifully with the setting. 

There is an ongoing livestream of the construction process on Youtube.