Paul Kent Hall, Oxford

Langley Design worked with Stepnell on the £5.2 million Paul Kent Halls of Residence for Oxford Brookes University in which there was an extensive update and refurbishment of the existing halls ready for the new student intake in 2021.

Although Langley Design work all over the UK, it’s always nice for the team to work on local schemes. Langley’s bespoke manufacturing was on full show at Paul Kent Hall with an extensive range of products designed, manufactured and installed for the new arrivals. We provided various different sized benches and seats constructed out of Hardwood Iroko to the courtyard of the historical Rowan House building which was originally constructed in 1876. The differing shapes and sizes of the seating combined beautifully with ADP Architecture’s stunning landscape design. A new modern arm rest design was chosen to reflect the updated areas but still offering a traditional feel with the Iroko seating. The project required a ventilation unit to be hidden and we were delighted to make a product that not only did this but also offered seating for the students to enjoy, the ‘Vent’ bench shows the creativity and problem solving solutions we offer our customers. The University also had various different unsightly bin and external plant areas, so we again designed some bespoke timber enclosures that made sure the project still remained aesthetically pleasing whilst offering important storage and screening to match the overall project visuals.