The Daubeny Buildings redesign Oxford project has cleared a pivotal planning hurdle, with Oxford City Council approving Foster + Partners’ proposals in June to transform three originally standalone science blocks into a single interconnected research facility forming part of the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) Oxford campus.
The three buildings, originally designed by Scott Brownrigg before the EIT took on the plot, were already under construction when the EIT identified the site as the ideal location for a new Generative Biology and Plant Biology institute. Following an earlier planning approval in 2023 and the start of construction, Foster + Partners was brought in to connect the blocks and substantially rework the scheme. Part of the already completed structure will be demolished to accommodate the new configuration, with the remainder adapted to fit the revised vision.
Atria, auditoriums and a rooftop greenhouse
The redesigned Daubeny Buildings scheme introduces two additional atriums intended to enable collaboration across the shared facility. The western atrium will provide meeting rooms, seminar spaces, a café and a 175-seat auditorium. Its eastern counterpart is planned to incorporate stepped terraces, shared workspaces and a 250-seat auditorium.
On the roof, a greenhouse is included to serve as the defining feature of the Plant Biology Institute, offering what the practice describes as a visible expression of its research-led purpose. Foster + Partners has stated that the new look of the buildings will establish a cohesive identity that complements the wider EIT campus.
Gerard Evendens, head of studio at Foster + Partners, said: ‘Bringing together vibrant new atria, flexible laboratories and shared spaces for learning and exchange, the buildings visibly express their scientific purpose, while producing an inspiring setting for interdisciplinary discovery and scientific innovation.’
EIT senior director of real estate Matt Abney said: ‘With these adaptations proposed, we will have the opportunity to provide state-of-the-art research facilities with spaces for automation and early-stage commercial development, as well as supporting the growth of the EIT Oxford campus, encouraging collaboration across teams.’
Daubeny Buildings redesign Oxford within a 190,000m² masterplan
The Daubeny Buildings sit within a wider campus masterplan by Foster + Partners, revealed last year, covering 190,000m². According to Foster + Partners, the campus incorporates more than 30,000m² of research laboratory space across its footprint, placing the Daubeny Buildings’ Generative Biology and Plant Biology institute within a substantially larger life-sciences environment. The masterplan includes leisure and catering facilities for up to 7,000 employees, with approximately 70 per cent of the park given over to greenery.
Project management consultant Ridge was involved in the resubmitted proposals, providing planning, project management and cost management services. Ridge has stated that the facility will offer around 3,500 jobs when completed.
Carbon and programme considerations
The decision to retain and adapt the partially completed structure rather than demolish and rebuild entirely has clear embodied carbon implications. Demolishing only the sections that cannot be reconciled with the new atrium configuration, while adapting the remainder, limits the volume of structural material sent to waste and reduces the carbon intensity of the intervention compared with a full clearance-and-rebuild approach. The extent of that benefit will depend on the structural makeup of the completed sections and the specification of replacement materials, details that will become clearer as the detailed design progresses.
The Ellison Institute of Technology has indicated the broader campus is set for completion in 2027, giving the project team a defined programme window within which to complete the reconfigured Daubeny Buildings alongside the rest of the masterplan. With the Daubeny Buildings redesign Oxford now securing council approval, enabling works and the revised construction sequence can proceed, though the demolition of completed sections means the contractor will need to carefully manage sequencing to avoid disrupting the parts of the structure being retained and adapted.
Scott Brownrigg has been contacted for comment on the redesign of the buildings it originally designed.
