Robinson College

Robinson College stands on a 12.5-acre wooded site west of Cambridge city centre, behind the University Library and near the science buildings. It was founded in 1977 as a mixed college for both undergraduates and graduates, a rare feature at the time. The college was created through a £17 million donation from businessman Sir David Robinson, with an extra £1 million given for its opening. Queen Elizabeth II formally opened the college in May 1981, with students already in attendance. Unlike many Cambridge colleges, Robinson allows students to walk on the grass in its gardens. The college’s buildings were designed by Andy MacMillan and Isi Metzstein of Gillespie, Kidd & Coia, using handmade red bricks. In 2022, Historic England listed the college as Grade II*, recognising its architectural importance. The oak-panelled dining hall seats 300, and the library won the Carpenter’s Award in 1981 for its woodwork. The grounds include pre-Victorian gardens crossed by the Bin Brook stream, which once supplied water to the Medieval Hospital of St John. Thorneycreek House, the Crausaz Wordsworth Building, and the Maria Björnson outdoor theatre are also part of the site. Inside, the chapel features a striking stained-glass window by John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens, titled *Light of the World*. The window’s design includes 66 panels arranged as an inverted pyramid, with leaf and floral details. The chapel’s liturgical furniture was also designed by Piper and Metzstein, along with a Frobenius organ in the gallery. The college provides student facilities such as a JCR, MCR, TV room, art room, and the Red Brick Café and Bar. Its sports teams, including a successful hockey side, compete in Cambridge’s inter-collegiate leagues. The college’s rugby union team, Slobinson RUFC, is shared with Selwyn College.