A THREE-YEAR project to build a sculpture designed by staff and students at Oxford Brookes University may finally be realised in September.

The university is applying for planning permission from Oxford City Council for a “rain pavilion” sculpture outside the new John Henry Brookes building at its Headington campus.

The sculpture, made up of benches around a pool with tall metal flowers standing in the water, is a collaboration between students and staff from the schools of architecture and art. It will be lit up at night.

The project started in 2012, with a competition between 30 students. The contest, judged by university lecturers, was won by architecture students Alex Horsmann and Charlotte Birch.

Since then, about 20 staff and students across the art and architecture departments have worked to design and develop the pavilion.

Dr Ricardo Assisrosa, 37, who has been co-ordinating the project with fellow senior lecturer Tiffany Black, said: “It’s very exciting. It’s a beautiful opportunity to create something made by staff and students.”

The academic, who has been at Oxford Brookes since his undergraduate degree in 2000, has seen many changes to the campus.

The Witney resident said: “It’s fantastic to see the campus developing and taking shape through the work of staff and students.

“This is not just for Oxford Brookes, this will also be for the people of Headington.”

The planning application for the sculpture, which will be constructed by engineer Stephen Melville from Ramboll UK, in Didcot, is now out to public consultation.

Mike Ratcliffe, of the community group Headington Action, said: “Public art is not tucked away in buildings and if it’s open to all people it is a good thing.

“It’s good to break up the monotony of big buildings, car parks and concrete piazzas. It may not always be to everyone’s taste, but the important thing is that it inflames.”

Headington is no stranger to public art – it has been home to the controversial Headington Shark, commissioned by BBC Radio Oxford presenter and Oxford Mail columnist Bill Heine, since 1986.

After installing the shark crashing through the roof of a house in New High Street, the Balliol College graduate spent five years battling with city council planners and the Planning Inspectorate to get retrospective permission for the sculpture.

It was finally granted by then Environment Minister Michael Heseltine.

Oxford Brookes would not say how much money the rain pavilion has cost.

Miss Horsmann and Miss Birch were not available for comment.