The Life and Mind building, a £200 million world-class teaching and research facility, has been officially opened by Sir Paul Nurse, Principal Group Leader, The Francis Crick Institute, President Elect of the Royal Society, and 2001 Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine.
The special opening event was hosted by Oxford University's Chancellor, Lord Hague of Richmond, and the University's Vice-Chancellor, Professor Irene Tracey. It brought together many of the people involved in the delivery of the building over the past six years, including representatives from Legal & General, Oxford University Development, the architecture practice NBBJ, and construction partner, Wates.
Sir Paul Nurse officially opened the buildingThe Life and Mind building is one of the largest building projects in the University's history. It has been funded and developed by Legal & General and delivered through the Oxford University Development (OUD) partnership - a £4 billion joint venture between Oxford University and Legal & General.
The Life and Mind Building stands as a powerful example of what collaboration can achieve.
Professor Irene Tracey, CBE, FRS, FMedSci
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford
It is home to the Departments of Biology and Experimental Psychology, as well as the Ineos Oxford Institute for antimicrobial research (IOI), and offers state-of-the-art research and learning facilities from 'sleep labs' and virtual reality rooms to lecture theatres and experimental classrooms, rooftop glasshouses, controlled environment labs, and a dedicated home for the University's botanical collections of approximately one million specimens.
Sir Paul Nurse, OM, CH, FRS, who was Professor and Head of the Department of Microbiology at Oxford 35 years ago said, 'It is always a pleasure to return to the University, and to mark the official opening of this remarkable new building is particularly special. Science is an endless frontier, and today the biological and brain sciences are at the forefront of that exploration. The discoveries that will emerge from the Life and Mind Building will help answer questions that matter to all of us: what it means to be human, how we can respond to climate change, how we can ensure food security, and how we can tackle the growing challenge of mental ill-health.'
View of the plaza, Life and Mind building (c) NBBJ/ Richard ChiversThe Chancellor of the University of Oxford, Rt Hon The Lord Hague of Richmond, said, 'The official opening of the Life and Mind Building marks a milestone moment for the University. It symbolises the ambition, creativity and partnership that drives our universities and sustains our global leadership in research and education.
'These outstanding new teaching and research facilities will enrich the student experience and enable the next generation of discoveries. Seeing this remarkable building come to life, filled with energy and collaboration, is deeply inspiring and I look forward to the bold, interdisciplinary projects that will emerge from within its walls.'
Professor Irene Tracey, CBE, FRS, FMedSci, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said, 'The Life and Mind Building stands as a powerful example of what collaboration can achieve. It unites two of our most dynamic disciplines under one roof, providing the space and facilities our researchers and students need to explore some of the most fundamental questions about life and the human mind.
'It embodies the best of Oxford - working together to advance knowledge for the good of society and the world - and has been made possible by our partnership with Legal & General, the skill and dedication of all those who designed and built it, and the resilience of colleagues who have sustained world-class research and teaching over so many years without a permanent home.'
António Simões, Group Chief Executive Officer, L&G, said: 'Today's opening of The Life and Mind Building is a landmark achievement for our £4 billion partnership with the University of Oxford. It reflects our commitment as a long-term investor in the UK economy, using pension capital to fund world-class research facilities that will drive innovation for generations to come.'
