The striking new £200 million Life & Mind building has opened in Oxford.
The Legal & General-funded development is one of the largest building projects in the University of Oxford’s history and will be home to the Departments of Biology and Experimental Psychology, as well as the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research (IOI).
Work to take place in the 269,000 sq ft building, which was designed by architects from NBBJ, includes research into climate change, biodiversity loss, mental health and food security.
Its delivery has come through the Oxford University Development (OUD) partnership – a £4 billion joint venture between Oxford University and Legal & General delivering academic and research facilities, alongside housing and associated infrastructure.
More than 1,400 scientists, academics, researchers, support staff and postgraduate students will work from the building and it will become the main teaching location for around 1,000 undergraduate students with new lecture halls and teaching spaces.
Among the research facilities are sleep labs, a virtual reality and motor lab, experimental classrooms, multisensory labs, rooftop glasshouses, licensed facilities for advanced plant science and controlled-environment laboratories, as well as a dedicated home for the University’s botanical collections comprising approximately one million specimens.
Prof Irene Tracey, vice-chancellor of Oxford University, said: “The opening of this inspiring building is a proud moment in our partnership with Legal & General, and a wonderful milestone for Oxford.
“As we welcome a new academic year, I’m delighted to see its doors open to our students, researchers, and academics. The Life and Mind building isn’t just a world-class facility – it’s a place designed to bring people together.
“By uniting biologists and experimental psychologists under one roof, it will spark fresh ideas, foster collaboration, and help us tackle some of the biggest challenges facing our world.”
Gareth Mee, chief investment officer, institutional retirement for L&G, said: “L&G is committed to putting annuity-backed capital behind some of the UK’s most ambitious and impactful projects.
“The Life and Mind Building is an exemplar – enabling world-class infrastructure that will attract and retain top academic talent and supports the UK’s innovation industries. This is capital with a purpose – driving economic growth, creating jobs and improving local communities, while generating sustainable returns that meet our pension commitments.”
Anna Strongman, chief executive of Oxford University Development, said: “The Life and Mind Building is a fantastic achievement for all involved and will be a great addition to the university’s teaching and research facilities as well as the wider Oxford ecosystem.
“The Life and Mind Building is one of the first projects to be completed as part of the OUD portfolio, demonstrating the power of our innovative partnership to support the future of the University and the city.”
As well as NBBJ, the project team included Wates as contractor, Arup on project management, Arcadis as cost consultant, Ramboll as civil and structural engineer, Hoare Lea as building services engineer, Fira as landscape architect and Savills as planning consultant.
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