Schwarzman Centre Opens at Oxford with Es Devlin, Refik Anadol

On April 25, 2026, the University of Oxford will unveil the Stephen A. Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities to the public with a complimentary Open House festival. This facility, designed by Hopkins Architects and made possible by the largest single philanthropic donation in the university's recent history, stands as the largest Passivhaus-certified university building in Europe. It features the world's first Passivhaus concert hall, the 500-seat Sohmen Concert Hall. The inaugural events will showcase the world premiere of '360 Vessels,' a choral installation by Es Devlin and Nico Muhly, alongside new digital works by Refik Anadol and Anna Ridler focused on AI. The centre will also introduce a Cultural Fellows programme with artists such as Refik Anadol and Es Devlin, and will host two themed seasons: 'Unfinished Revolutions' (May–June) and 'Utopia Now!' (October–November). The centre integrates seven humanities faculties, performance venues, and the Institute for Ethics in AI and Oxford Internet Institute.