Blavatnik School of Government

The Blavatnik School of Government stands on the northern edge of Oxford’s city centre, in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter. Its main entrance faces Walton Street, beside the 1836 Greek Revival St Paul’s Church and opposite the classical Oxford University Press building. The site once held a historic wall that was removed to make way for the project. The building was designed by the Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron to encourage open discussion and collaboration. A central forum links all floors, creating a space for chance encounters and shared ideas. The school was founded in 2010 after a £75 million gift from businessman Len Blavatnik, with an additional £26 million from the University of Oxford. It opened in 2012 with its first Master of Public Policy students and added a DPhil in Public Policy in 2014. Executive programmes began in 2015 for senior practitioners tackling global challenges. The school’s founding dean, Ngaire Woods, shaped its academic structure from the outset. Notable staff include Amal Clooney as Visiting Professor of Practice in International Law and Paul Collier as Professor of Economics and Public Policy. Visitors enter through a modern glass façade that rises above nearby landmarks. Inside, the central forum is a light-filled atrium where students and staff gather between lectures. The building uses systems to reduce its environmental impact, including automated controls for heating and lighting. Outside, the structure’s height provoked debate among local residents and the owner of the nearby Freud café. Despite the controversy, the building won a RIBA National Award and was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize. Its clean lines and pale concrete now form part of Oxford’s evolving skyline.