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This is the largest building project ever undertaken on behalf of the University and will be its largest teaching and research facility

Sir James Wates, Professor Louise Richardson and Nigel Wilson © Diane Auckland/Fotohaus
(Left to right) Sir James Wates, Chairman at Wates Construction Group; Professor Louise Richardson, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford; Nigel Wilson, Chief Executive of Legal & General

Legal & General, Oxford University and Wates are pleased to announce that construction has started on the ‘Life and Mind Building’ in Oxford, as part of Legal & General and Oxford University’s £4bn partnership.

This building represents the largest building project ever undertaken on behalf of the University, and will be its largest teaching and research facility, significantly improving the way that biology and psychology are taught in Oxford. This will help scientists in the Departments of Biology and Experimental Psychology solve some of our major global challenges.

Legal & General entered into a £4bn partnership with the University of Oxford in June 2019, forming Oxford University Development (OUD) in order to provide thousands of new homes for staff and students, incubator space for research and businesses and academic facilities such as the Life and Mind Building. This is the first project within the partnership to start being developed.

Wates have been appointed as the main contractor to deliver the NBBJ-designed Life and Mind Building, which is due to open in 2024. The building situated at the gateway to the Oxford’s Science Area, replaces the Tinbergen building which closed in February 2017. The building covers 25,000 sqm, set over two wings containing laboratory and office accommodation with a central atrium and lower floor teaching centre. The design will provide maximal flexibility and foster collaboration between departments.

Read the full story on the University of Oxford website