A new home for the Oxford Internet Institute
Opening in September 2025, the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities will provide a state-of-the-art home for multiple University of Oxford faculties, including the Oxford Internet Institute (OII). Established through the philanthropy of Mr Schwarzman, the Centre will be located in the heart of Oxford’s Radcliffe Observatory Quarter.
By bringing together humanities faculties, libraries, and the OII under one roof, the Centre will foster a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment for research and teaching. The OII community will be housed in one place, strengthening collaboration, innovation, and the exchange of ideas. OII will also benefit from increased teaching space and access to a new branch of the Bodleian Library, further enhancing research opportunities.
The OII’s relocation has been made possible thanks to a generous gift from the Dieter Schwarz Foundation, establishing the institute as a key node in a global network dedicated to researching and teaching artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies.
The building has been designed by the award-winning firm Hopkins Architects, and will provide a range of modern, well-equipped classrooms and lecture theatres to create a stimulating place for studying and research.
Designed according to Passivhaus principles, the Centre will be an exemplar energy efficient building. The site will include new biodiversity and planting, green spaces to sit and relax, extensive cycle parking and solar power generation on the roof.
For the first time in the University’s history, this is a building explicitly designed for everyone – for concerts, for community and school partnerships, for pathbreaking research and inspiring teaching, or simply for a cup of coffee.
Professor William Whyte
As well as benefiting academics and students, the Schwarzman Centre will welcome the public to a range of venues, including a 500-seat concert hall, a 250-seat theatre and a 100-seat Black Box space for experimental performance. Local cultural organisations will be invited to perform in these spaces through partnerships with Oxford researchers.
In addition, a schools and public engagement centre will introduce schoolchildren in Oxfordshire to the world of Oxford University research.
The Schwarzman Centre will provide OII with an inspiring space for research and teaching, enriching the experiences of students, academics, and the wider public, and creating connections between technology and people.
