This week The Oxford Trust has officially topped out its new Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington, Oxford, to mark reaching the structure’s highest point ahead of building completion in July 2026.
The 17,000 sq ft (1,600 sq m) facility is being delivered with construction partner Beard Construction, and will provide two floors of high-quality Class II laboratories and technical workspace, supplementing the capacity of the adjacent fully occupied Linden Building.
The topping out event brought together senior leaders from the Trust and project partners Beard Construction to celebrate the progress and recognise the collaborative effort behind the development.
Strengthening Oxford’s innovation ecosystem
By expanding capacity for early stage and scaling science and tech companies, the new £7m facility is a strategic investment by the Trust in the Headington Science Cluster and Oxford’s wider science and technology community.
In addition to flexible laboratory and office space, the Aspen Building will include facilities to further support STEM outreach to schools and local communities through Science Oxford,
By strengthening innovation and education on a single site, the Aspen Building will deepen the Trust’s charitable mission to encourage the pursuit of science.
Steve Burgess, CEO, The Oxford Trust said: “Reaching the topping out of the Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation is a proud moment for The Oxford Trust and everyone involved in bringing this strategic project to life. This milestone reflects the dedication of our construction partners and our shared commitment to strengthening Oxford’s science and tech cluster by delivering more lab and workspace where innovative science and technology start-ups and scale-ups can grow. I’d like to thank Beard and the wider project team for their hard work, expertise and collaboration.”
Mark Beard, Chairman, added: “The Oxford Trust set the standard in Oxford regarding collaborative working with scientific start-up companies, schools, contractors and the wider community. We are so proud to be their chosen contractor for the new Aspen Building project and are delighted to mark this milestone with all our friends from The Oxford Trust and the family of great start-up companies that have begun their journey of exploration at the Wood Centre for Innovation.”
Supporting growth, jobs and sustainability
The project has already generated around 35 construction roles on site, with further employment opportunities expected as new companies take up residence once the building opens.
Designed with sustainability in mind, the Aspen Building is targeting BREEAM Excellent rating and will contribute at least 10 percent Biodiversity Net Gain across the surrounding 15 acres of woodland. The result will be a modern, environmentally responsible facility that supports both cutting-edge research and the natural environment.
The Wood Centre for Innovation is currently home to pioneering science and technology companies including Jack Fertility, DJS Antibodies, Lumai, Helio Display Materials and Newrotex, among others. The Aspen Building will create additional innovation space for similar high potential ventures to establish and scale within Oxford’s dynamic innovation ecosystem.
Available for pre let
For science and technology companies planning their next stage of growth in Oxford, the Aspen Building offers high quality, flexible space within a thriving, collaborative innovation environment. It is now open for pre let to provide flexibility in design for incoming companies.
Photos by Ed Nix.
