A seven-storey sliver of luxury apartments right in the heart of Oxford.

The soft option would have been to go for 3 or 4 storeys to match the building to the west of the site. Instead of this AJA proposed a much higher design to screen the bulky backside of the department store to the east. The new building will add a new profile to the Oxford skyline and will actually exceed the city's guidance on building heights, but because of its role in improving the character and appearance of the historic context the local authority recommended it for approval and the planning committee approved it unanimously.

There will be seven storeys of accommodation with seven duplex apartments, each with a double-height window on to a lofty double-height living space with mezzanine bedroom balcony. The apartments on the upper floors will have spectacular views over the city.