York Historic Environment Record

The former Langwith College was built as part of the first phase of new buildings for the university in 1963-1965 to the design of the architects Robert Matthew and Johnson-Marshall and Partners (RMJM), with Stiratt Johnson-Marshall and Andrew Derbyshire as the partners in charge. Sir Stiratt Johnson-Marshall was one of the most important and respected architects to emerge in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. He pioneered the CLASP (Consortium of Local Authorities Special Programme) prefabricated system for schools and designed the Commonwealth Institute (Grade II*-listed). Both Langwith and Derwent colleges were the first university buildings to be erected using the CLASP system, which had never been used on this scale before. On the whole, the former Langwith College still demonstrates a relatively high degree of survival externally. Regrettably, some of the windows have been replaced but these match the original glazing pattern. Whilst it has undergone some renovations internally, the extent of the original fixtures and fittings were rather limited (eg the only built-in items in the study bedrooms were heater and washer units and wardrobes) and the college still retains many original staircases, parquet and linoleum floors, flush timber doors and glazed softwood doors, partitions and ceilings. The covered walkways extending east of the college to the footbridge over University Road and to the south-east to Derwent College form an important part of the original design scheme and are included in the listing. The building housing the former squash courts, now a performance studio, is built of blue brick to offer contrast to the CLASP buildings; it survives well and is included in the listing. REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION The former Langwith College, built at the University of York in 1963-1965 to the design of the architects Robert Matthew and Johnson-Marshall and Partners (RMJM), is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons: Historic interest: * as one of a wave of new universities that improved access to higher education and marked the highpoint of publicly-funded architecture in post-war Britain; * as a physical manifestation of the University of York Development Plan, which was heralded as the beginning of contemporary university planning in Britain. Architectural interest: * the University of York is arguably the greatest work of the influential architects Sir Stiratt Johnson-Marshall and Sir Andrew Derbyshire of RMJM, the only practice to design four universities in Britain; * for the innovative combination of teaching and social facilities as well as residential accommodation in a single college, enabling it to instantly function as a university and allow for expansion by adding further colleges on the same principles; * Langwith and Derwent colleges were the first university buildings to be erected using the CLASP prefabricated system, a model for a rapidly-built, economical and standardised form of welfare state architecture, which had never been used on this scale before; * the relationship of massing and height of Langwith college to its neighbour in Derwent, to Heslington Hall, and the landscape, as well as its layout, is exceptionally well-thought-out; * for the seven sculptural relief panels by the artist Fred Millett, which add flourish to the main pedestrian walkway. Group value: * with the Grade II*-listed Heslington Hall, as well as the covered walkway to the west of the college, Derwent College, Central Hall, two sculptures by Austin Wright (‘Dryad’ and ‘Untitled’), and the designed landscape, which are all separately recommended for designation at Grade II.