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Mission Street
Inventa, Oxford

Conversion of two retail properties to create a hub for biomedical research companies

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Project Stats

Duration

weeks
0

Value

£ 0 m

Size

sq ft
0

Sector

Science and Technology

Project Story

Project Brief

Willmott Dixon Interiors has delivered a new biomedical research & development facility in central Oxford.

The refurbishment involved the redevelopment of two former retail warehouse units into world-class laboratory and creative office space.

Project Solution

The existing structure has been extended, adding a new internal floor and a colonnade to the north elevation. The additional floorspace enables the creation of a new reception area and a combination of sustainable new spaces for market-leading life science companies. They include enhanced common areas and meeting rooms, new collaboration and circulation spaces, breakout areas and café provision, as well as a new cycle centre and shower facilities.

The building fabric has been substantially upgraded, including a new façade, while new mechanical and electrical services have also been installed.

Externally, a cycle and pedestrian route and a newly landscaped car park have been created to provide a revitalised visitor experience, with landscaping at the rear of the building doubling as an area for flood mitigation.

Project Outcome

The completed project delivered the following outcomes:

  • Transformation of retail properties into biomedical research hub
  • Refurbishment provides a world-class space for biomedical research, advancing the UK in the sector
  • Improvement to the facilities available in Oxford, leading to talented individuals in the biomedical industry opting to stay in the area
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Project Team

Simon Wilson

Simon Wilson

Operations Director

Consultant Team

Architect: Owen Warwick Architects
Project Manager: Buro Four Project Services Ltd
Cost Consultant: Abakus Consulting
Services Engineer: Hilson Moran Partnership

Testimonials

Inventa Building

“Inventa delivers some of Oxford’s highest quality lab and office space for science and innovation companies at all stages of growth, in a first for the city’s West End. This includes the highly sustainable re-use of the bulk of the original structure and slab, complemented by strategic extensions to provide best-in-class arrival areas, plant space and bespoke back-of-house facilities. Inspired by the industrial heritage of the previous site, Inventa’s extensive meeting areas, amenities and network of high streets and squares seek to foster a culture of collaboration among Oxford’s scientific industries, while significant improvements to pedestrian/cycle connections and the public realm benefit the local community.”

Colin Brown, Development Director, Mission Street

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Contact us

Like what you see? Want to work with our amazing team? Contact us today

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Joe Gallagher

With 19 years of experience and over 500,000 square ft of CAT B office fit-outs delivered in London’s most prestigious locations, Joe Gallagher is our CAT B fit-out project lead. His portfolio reflects over £110 million worth of commercial office fit-outs for customers ranging from banks, media brands, and tech companies to developers and management consultants.

Why we do it

By keeping buildings alive, we preserve their history while ensuring they remain relevant, sustainable, and functional in a changing world. Our work is about more than just refurbishment—it’s about creating spaces that inspire, support communities, and provide lasting value.

Let’s work together to transform spaces, ensuring they stand the test of time while meeting the needs of today and the future.

How we do it

A heritage of trust and reliability: With over 172 years of success, Willmott Dixon Interiors is part of one of the UK’s most established construction companies. Our long-standing reputation means you can trust us to deliver with the highest standards of quality, and that you are partnering with a company that is secure and dependable, especially in an industry where financial stability is crucial for project success.

Transparent and reliable project management: We prioritise on-time and within-budget delivery. Our clear communication and proactive approach ensure that you stay informed throughout the project, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.

End-to-end project management: From feasibility studies to design and delivery, our expertise ensures projects run smoothly, on time, and within budget.

Expert procurement support: We simplify the tender process and guide customers through procurement frameworks, ensuring compliance and efficiency.

Sustainability-focused solutions: With a dedicated in-house team, we align every project with our ambitious sustainability goals, minimising waste and integrating energy-efficient solutions.

 

What we do

We specialise in the fit-out and refurbishment of buildings across multiple sectors, from offices and healthcare facilities to hotels, retail, and secure environments. Whether it’s breathing new life into a heritage building, modernising commercial spaces, or ensuring critical environments remain fully operational during works, we are committed to delivering projects with precision and care.

Key areas of focus:

A trusted team and supply chain: Our people are what make us stand out. From project managers to site teams, we bring a wealth of experience and a proactive approach to every project. We also support our supply chain partners with a 28-day payment term and a commitment to fair treatment, ensuring high-quality materials and timely execution.

Seamless design and build delivery: If required, our integrated design and build services streamline the process from RIBA Stage 2 or 3 to completion, saving you time and effort.

Live environment expertise: We excel in delivering projects in occupied and secure environments with minimal disruption, ensuring business continuity and safety.

Long-Term partnerships: We believe in building relationships based on trust, performance, and transparent communication, ensuring every project we deliver contributes to your ongoing success. Many of our customers return to us time and time again, a testament to our commitment to quality and service.

Attention to detail: From appointment to final handover, we focus on creating environments that not only meet but exceed expectations. Our rigorous quality assurance processes ensure every element of a project is delivered with precision.

Sustainable refurbishments: We pledge to be net-zero operational carbon by 2030 and have a net-zero supply chain by 2040. Our projects focus on energy efficiency, waste reduction, and the use of sustainable materials.

TRUSTED TEAM AND SUPPLY CHAIN

We are supported by a trusted supply chain, guaranteeing the use of high-quality materials, and ensuring timely project execution. Our long-standing relationships allow us to deliver excellence on every project.

ATTENTION TO DETAIL

From our appointment to the final handover, we focus on creating office environments that not only meet but exceed your expectations. Our attention to detail ensures that your space is functional, beautiful, and aligned with your business goals.

SUSTAINABILITY

Our dedicated in-house team ensures that every project aligns with our ambitious sustainability goals. As a business, we are committed to achieving a net-zero status by 2030, and we hold ourselves accountable at every stage of our operations. From minimising waste through innovative recycling programs to selecting sustainable materials and incorporating energy-efficient practices, we focus on reducing environmental impact.

COMMITMENT TO LONG-TERM PARTNERSHIPS

We believe in building relationships based on trust, performance, and transparent communication. Our goal is to create long term partners, ensuring that every project we deliver contributes to your ongoing success.

SEAMLESS DESIGN AND BUILD DELIVERY

If required our integrated design and build services can streamline the process from RIBA Stage 2 or 3 to completion, saving you time and effort. With in-house design capabilities and relationships with external design partners across all disciplines it gives us full flexibility to develop a tailored approach for each project.

PROVEN EXPERTISE

With extensive experience in the commercial fit-out market, we understand how to deliver projects that meet your unique needs. Our team has completed a wide range of traditional and design & build, high-quality fit-outs across multiple sectors.

TRANSPARENT AND RELIABLE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

We prioritise on-time and within-budget delivery. Our clear communication and proactive approach ensure that you stay informed throughout the project, giving you peace of mind from start to finish.

A HERITAGE OF TRUST AND RELIABILITY

Backed by over 172 years of success, Willmott Dixon Interiors is part of one of the UK’s most established construction companies. Our long-standing reputation means you can trust us to deliver with the highest standards of quality, and that you are partnering with a company that is secure and dependable, especially in an industry where financial stability is crucial for project success.

Learning and Development

We believe continued learning and development is crucial to our team’s everyday needs. Our internal L&D system, Willmott Dixon University, supports a wide range of courses for all of our people to ensure they are best-equipped to perform well in their job roles.

We are able to offer unlimited opportunities to those with the ambition to take their career to the next level and work in a stimulating environment. By offering 4 levels of management development programmes, we are able to provide the skills you need to help reach your potential.

Professional Qualifications

We believe that our teams should continue to have ongoing development both in and out of construction and are committed to assisting them in becoming qualified within a professional qualification of their choice.

Management Development

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Technical Apprentice Programme

Apprenticeships are a great route into construction. At Willmott Dixon, apprenticeships are available in our business support teams and also through our supply chain partners or our sister company, Fortem, in trade disciplines such as bricklaying.

We offer some entry level positions for those who are looking to take their first steps into construction. With a paid apprenticeship you will earn while you learn and obtain a Level 3 qualification. You can apply following GCSEs; you don’t to have a construction background to complete an apprenticeship.

Work Experience

Work experience is a great way to get an insight into working at Willmott Dixon and is an ideal opportunity to experience the different jobs available, whether you are new to the world of work or looking for a change in career.

We are proud to offer unique work experience placements that give you the chance to work alongside highly qualified and experienced professionals. Gaining an in-depth understanding of both the technical elements and business skills that are required to succeed within construction and showing you a variety of teams that come together to complete a project, whether that be on site or in the office.

Interested? Get in contact: WDIworkexperience@willmottdixon.co.uk

Loyalty Rewards

After five years with us, you’ll join our 5-9 Year Club and celebrate annually with the other members. After reaching 10 years, you will join the prestigious Willmott Dixon 10 Year Club and celebrate along with Rick Willmott.

Private Health Care

We value your health care and wellbeing and that is why we offer free or discounted private health care that will avoid you NHS long waiting lists.

Salary and Profit Share

At Willmott Dixon Interiors we are proud of our people and sincerely believe that our success depends on them and their skills. We reflect our gratitude in the highly competitive salary we offer and review every year. In addition, we will thank you for your hard work with the percentage of our annual profit (subject to certain criteria) to the scope of reflecting our ‘one team’ nature.

Flexible Working & More

The best is yet to come! We give you a day off for your birthday (without using your holiday entitlement), early leave every Friday, dress down Friday once a month, Summer and Christmas events, and more. We have ambitions to be an employer of choice for those who either want to or need to work in a flexible and agile way. Experience it all when joining our team, we are looking forward to getting to know you.

Pension and Life Assurance

We strongly value your future and want to help you save for it, that is why we will contribute by 6% of your pension and you will be protected by Willmott Dixon Interiors Life Assurance Scheme (more details to come when joining).

Holidays

We commit everyday to promoting a healthy work/life balance that matches a competitive holiday allowance, the longer you stay the more you get. 

If the holidays allowance isn’t enough, you can take advantage of buying extra holiday entitlement each year.