120-122 High Street
Award Winning
Award Winning
Location: Oxford
Client: Lincoln College
Architect: FJMT Architects
Value: Not disclosed
Awards:
2021 Oxford Preservation Trust Award – Building Conservation Certificate
Lincoln College owns 120–121 High Street, a Grade II listed building constructed in 1867 within Oxford’s Central (University and City) Conservation Area.
Historically used as a bank, the six-storey property (including basement and mezzanine) had undergone significant 1950s alterations. The brief was to sensitively transform the building into a high-end restaurant at lower levels with residential apartments above, while preserving its historic character and enhancing long-term asset value.
The building’s listed status and conservation area location imposed strict planning and heritage constraints. Previous 1950s interventions had introduced reinforced concrete elements, complicating structural alterations. The change of use required substantial internal reconfiguration, including basement drainage rationalisation, new kitchen and dining facilities, staircase removal, and lift installation. All works needed to protect the architectural integrity of the High Street frontage while ensuring compliance with modern building, fire, and accessibility standards.
The project successfully revitalised a prominent High Street property, delivering a vibrant hospitality venue and high-quality residential accommodation.
Sensitive structural interventions preserved the building’s historic fabric while enabling modern performance standards. The transformation enhanced both commercial viability and heritage value, strengthening the streetscape and contributing positively to Oxford’s conservation area. The scheme’s excellence in preservation and adaptive reuse was recognised with an Oxford Preservation Trust Award in 2021.
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