San Stae is profoundly honoured to be appointed by the University of Oxford to bring creative direction and cohesion back to Lady Margaret Hall (LMH).

Founded in 1878 as a pioneering institution, LMH was established to "right a wrong" by welcoming women to an Oxford education for the very first time. Over the decades, the site has grown from a single townhouse with nine students into a spectacular 12-acre estate, now home to nearly 500 undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Unlike Oxford's historic, all-male monastic counterparts typically built around tight quads of honey-coloured stone, LMH was intentionally designed with a domestic, "country house" aesthetic. It features sprawling red-brick structures nestled within expansive grounds, showcasing a rich tapestry of contrasting architectural styles. As the estate has naturally evolved to serve generations of students, its interiors have gathered a rich tapestry of history - our role now is to weave these storied layers together into a singular, cohesive vision.⁠ ⁠

Our initial focus centres on the beautiful Deneke Building, designed in 1932 by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (the brilliant mind behind Battersea Power Station and the iconic red telephone box). Drawing on our lifelong love and knowledge of period properties, we are restoring material harmony to these historic spaces. Through archival research and field studies, we are deconstructing Gilbert Scott’s core aesthetic principles to translate his historic architectural language into contemporary applications.

This work will culminate in a definitive Style Guide - a master blueprint to steer all future refurbishment works, with some of the magic set to take place ahead of the college's 150th anniversary in 2028.⁠