The master, fellows and students of St Catherine’s College are among the lucky few to occupy that special and rare commodity, a postwar grade I listed building. Or rather they were until the end of last year when they were forced to move into marquees thanks to the discovery that the roofs of virtually the entire college were constructed from problem material reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and were at risk of collapse.

The college is one of Oxford University’s newest, dating from 1962. It was designed by celebrated Danish architect Arne Jacobsen and is thought to be one of the best preserved and most significant examples of his work. The college is formed from a collection of long, low modernist buildings arranged around a traditional college quadrangle. Internally, these are distinguished by deep, strongly expressed precast beams which create generous, column-free spaces. Many of the buildings feature ribbon rooflights arranged over these beams which serve to get light deep into the plan and emphasises the structure.