Willmott Dixon’s two state-of-the-art buildings at Oxford Brookes University are set to transform teaching, learning, research, and industry collaboration at the university.
The Teaching and Workshop buildings at the Headington Hill campus mark a new chapter for students, researchers, and the wider community.
The Teaching Building is a vibrant new hub of creativity and collaboration. Open to students and staff 24 hours a day and spread over three floors, it features robotics labs, 3D printing technology, graphic design studios, exhibition spaces, a digital theatre, and an immersive Virtual Reality Cave. With a central atrium and café, it offers a welcoming space for students, staff, and the wider community.
A unique highlight is the display of Formula 1 racing cars, supporting in-depth learning in suspension, chassis design, and aerodynamics. It will also serve as the new base for Oxford Brookes Racing, the University’s renowned student racing team, providing an exciting opportunity to apply engineering knowledge in a high-performance motorsport setting.
Set to open fully in the 2025/26 academic year, the Workshop Building will provide students with industry-standard technical facilities, including advanced engineering equipment and hands-on teaching spaces that mirror real-world environments.
Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University: “Oxford Brookes is committed to building an environment which supports our students, staff and partners to excel. Formally opened today, the Teaching and Workshop buildings feature cutting-edge technology and will enhance education, research and employability opportunities."
“Our campus spaces continue to respond to the evolving needs of the University’s community and the rapidly changing world of education. Our vision is for our Oxford environment to inspire a vibrant, connected and diverse student and staff community to achieve their potential and the opening of these pioneering new buildings plays an important part in achieving this.”
Willmott Dixon worked with ADP Architecture. Richard Poulter, Managing Director of Willmott Dixon in the South: “It has been a privilege to work alongside Oxford Brookes University to bring their ambitious vision to life. These exceptional new buildings are not only architecturally striking but are also packed with advanced technologies and innovative learning spaces that will serve students, staff, and industry partners for years to come. We’re proud to have delivered facilities that will help shape the future of education and research, and which reflect the University’s clear commitment to excellence, sustainability, and community impact.”
Glen Moses, Project Director at ADP: “The new Headington Hill buildings are a significant development for Oxford Brookes and an opportunity for the entire university community to inhabit buildings that embody sustainability principles, serving as a living laboratory for learning, research, and teaching. The ambition was to create a vibrant new heart for the Headington Hill site through the addition of two thoughtfully designed buildings: a purpose-built workshop and a long-life, flexible teaching facility."
"The University’s vision was clear: the project presented a unique opportunity to reimagine the organisation of academic activities by bringing together a wide range of 'making' practices into an iconic new building and a complementary workshop space—designed with trans-disciplinary collaboration as a defining principle. The conservation area, parkland context and the close collaboration with the University and its stakeholders has led to a truly unique solution which we believe will benefit the staff, students, and the local community at Headington.”
