On 4 February, the Development Office hosted another of its thematic Univ North tours. The intergenerational aspect of the development was the focus of the tour this time and it was led by the Interim Development Director, Harriet Bayly, and our Donor Relations Officer, Alina Nuta (2018, PPE).

A group of Old Members and friends of the College was led across the site and shown the spots where new buildings would be put up and others would come down. This time, Alina emphasised the shared spaces that would feature across the development, including quads, a café, the orchard and even a rose garden. They will act as links between the Fairfield Residential Home, student accommodation and the new nursery, so are central to the community that the College seeks to create at Univ North.

Professor Sarah Harper, Supernumerary Fellow in Gerontology and Co-Director of the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, highlights that current society usually segregates people of different ages, even though interactions between generations has been shown to be important for wellbeing. Age integration is seen as part of the solution to loneliness and enhance the mental health for both young and old. The design of Univ North actively encourages intergenerational living by creating a rich mixture of active and quiet spaces that all members of the community will want to spend time in.

“We found the afternoon extremely enlightening and enjoyable.  The project is fascinating in many different ways and this tour was an ideal way to highlight them all in a very engaging manner.” Michael (1984, Chemistry) and Elaine Walsh

Find out more about previous and upcoming Univ North tours.

Read more about the College’s vision for a second community on the Univ North microsite.

Published: 24 February 2022

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