Adjacent to the Grade I listed 19th Century North Range by William Butterfield, the ARCO Building is located at the north end of the Fellows' Garden. Part of an overall site strategy for future development, rather than occupying space within, the ARCO Building reinforces the walls of the garden, a successful strategy continued by a second RMA building commissioned by Keble College.

Ninety-three study bedrooms are arranged over four storeys around a large, central, top-lit stairwell. Three conference rooms open through full height sliding doors onto a sunny terrace and the Fellows' Garden.

Externally, reference is made to Butterfield's polychromatic brickwork by the use of vertical and horizontal hand-made bricks. A highly insulated envelope, high thermal mass and heat recovery system combine to produce a truly low energy building in which central heating is unnecessary.