The Bill Brown Creative Workshops

It is widely recognised that creativity flourishes most readily between existing disciplines, calling for an openness of mind that is best fostered by sharing a common goal with people of contrasting approaches.

Enthusiastic Fellows in Architecture, History of Art, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Plant Sciences, amongst others, are keen to revitalise and encourage the spirit of interdisciplinary thinking and creativity on which the College was founded in 1958. The Bill Brown Creative Workshops, formerly known as the Creative Hub and re-named thanks to a major gift from the Bill Brown Charitable Trust, will host a dynamic programme of events and create a platform geared towards bridging academic disciplines, and forging new collaborations, so that our students can better respond to the challenges of the 21st century.

Students of all disciplines, undergraduates and postgraduates, will have the opportunity to make things together. The Creative Workshops will provide a hub for creativity and innovation, including a multi-purpose project space, to explore, design, test, scale, build and present ideas – technical, social, artistic and more. It is also aimed at engaging the widest possible audience, both local, national and international, developing an active communication and exhibition strategy as well as a reputation for excellence.

The Project

Much more than just a building project, this will be a facility unique to Churchill College, providing a “maker” space in the disused oil store next to the squash courts at the front (Storey’s Way) entrance to the College. It has been designed by the pioneering architecture collective ‘Assemble’, who won the Turner Prize for Contemporary Art in 2015, and includes Joseph Halligan, a Churchill alumnus (architecture, U06) as one of its leaders.

The facility will include workshops, both digital and traditional, with equipment to enable students to experiment with different techniques to bring artistic and design projects to fruition. To support the various projects it is intended to have a technician on hand to offer advice, skills and training. Although many University departments have their own workshops, Churchill will be the only Oxbridge College that has such a facility for truly interdisciplinary endeavours.

Project

The Bill Brown Creative Workshops

It is widely recognised that creativity flourishes most readily between existing disciplines, calling for an openness of mind that is best fostered by sharing a common goal with people of contrasting approaches.

The Project

How you can take part

Looking to the future

“We have already come a long way but now we’d like to enlist your help in making this journey to the next phase. You’re already part our history, now we need you to be part of our future.”