Supporting Oxford University’s New Life & Mind Building
The Johnsons Lab Logistics team is proud to have played a key role in one of the UK’s most exciting academic developments. Oxford University’s £200 million Life & Mind Building, opened in autumn 2025, brings together world-leading teaching and research in biology and experimental psychology.
Spanning over 269,000 sq ft and supporting more than 1,400 academics, researchers, support staff and postgraduates, plus approximately 1,000 undergraduates, the building is a true hub for scientific innovation. Its scale, specialist facilities and technical demands also made the relocation a significant challenge, one perfectly suited to our laboratory logistics experts.
Our Role: A Complete Relocation Solution
Johnsons Lab Logistics was appointed to manage the full relocation of scientific, teaching and specialist research equipment into the new building. With deep experience in complex laboratory and high-tech moves, our team delivered a fully integrated, end-to-end solution.
Key elements of our service included:
- Collaborative move-planning workshops aligned to the building’s detailed logistics design, including service yard access, goods lifts and large-vehicle turning areas.
- Specialist handling and coordination of sensitive laboratory and research assets such as controlled environment chambers, imaging suites, motor labs and plant-science facilities.
- Precise project-management and live-tracked asset movements, ensuring minimal downtime for critical research operations, all completed under strict GxP compliance.
- Close stakeholder collaboration with university estates teams, teaching services and research leads to validate routes, schedule moves and ensure a seamless handover of every space.
Why Specialist Expertise Matters
Moving high-value, high-risk scientific environments demands absolute precision. This project highlights what a specialist laboratory logistics partner brings:
- Technical expertise in handling lab-grade equipment and controlled environments
- Logistical accuracy built around complex building access and infrastructure
- Integrated stakeholder planning to safeguard research continuity
- Full-lifecycle support, from initial asset surveys through to settling-in and post-move validation
The Life & Mind Building represents a new era of interdisciplinary research at Oxford. By delivering a smooth and secure transition into this landmark facility, Johnsons Lab Logistics has reinforced its reputation as a trusted partner for the most challenging laboratory and research relocations.
James Oakes, Director of Work Winning at Johnsons 1871, said:
“Supporting the relocation into the Life & Mind Building has been a privilege. The scale and scientific importance of this project demanded absolute attention to detail, and our team delivered exactly that. We’re incredibly proud to help create the foundation for future discoveries at one of the world’s leading universities.”
