Life & Mind Building

Completion: 2022

Architect: NBBJ Architects

Façade Contractor: Staticus

Main Contractor: Wates

GRC Area: 1,687 m²

Panel Type: large-format 3D panels

Colour: sandstone

Surface: exposed aggregate finish, brown aggregate

The Life & Mind Building at the University of Oxford is a large-scale academic and research facility designed by NBBJ Architects. As part of the project, we supplied 1,687 m² of bespoke GRC façade panels with a washed surface finish incorporating coloured aggregate, used on architecturally prominent areas of the façade.

The GRC panels were designed as large-format, spatially shaped elements with individual panel sizes of up to 12 m². Despite their complex geometry and substantial dimensions, the panels maintain low weight and minimal thickness, enabling efficient handling and installation while ensuring the required stiffness and surface quality. Installation was carried out using the DAKO SMART fixing system with insert brackets, with each panel fixed at only four points. This approach reduced the amount of secondary steelwork and simplified on-site installation operations.

The building was officially opened by Sir Paul Nurse, Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2001) and President of the Royal Society.

Certifications & Awards:

BREEAM Excellent certification, reflecting a holistic approach to sustainability across design, construction and operation.

Oxford Climate Awards – winner in the category Green Building & Design.

OxProp Awards, Project of the Year: Education

CNN included the Life and Mind Building among the 11 Architecture Projects Set to Shape the World in 2025.