ARC Oxford has officially opened Ascent, a landmark 105,000 SQF lab and office development and announced Wiley, global leader in authoritative content and research intelligence, as its first occupier. Wiley has taken approximately a third of the building, reflecting a growing focus among businesses on securing high-quality workspace in the right locations, with the facilities, flexibility and wider ecosystem needed to support innovation and long-term growth.
Ascent responds to this demand, providing space for innovative, knowledge-intensive organisations to thrive within Oxford’s world-class research environment. The development will accommodate more than 500 innovators and is expected to contribute an estimated £38 million in gross value added (GVA) to the economy annually.
The launch was marked with an evening event bringing together members of the ARC Oxford community and key local stakeholders to celebrate Ascent’s opening and the next chapter in the campus’ development. The event included a keynote talk from Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Innovation, Professor Constantin Coussios, alongside an opportunity for guests to connect and celebrate this milestone for ARC Oxford.
Dan Williams, Asset Management Director at ARC Oxford, said: “ARC Oxford has become synonymous with scientific ambition and the commercialisation of world-class research. What makes the campus distinctive is the maturity of the community that has developed here, bringing together organisations at different stages of their journey, each contributing to Oxford’s position at the forefront of innovation. The opening of Ascent is another important step in that evolution, and we’re delighted to welcome Wiley as the building’s first occupier.”
Don Kolniak, Global Head of Real Estate & Workplace Services said: “Ascent provides a high-quality working environment for our team and an opportunity to build new connections across Oxford’s research and innovation community. Oxford is an internationally recognised city for research and innovation, so it has been an ideal location for Wiley over the years. As a business focused on accelerating research discovery for real-world impact and transforming how knowledge is discovered, accessed, and applied, we see real value in further investing in part of an ecosystem that brings together scientific expertise, ambitious organisations and world-class research institutions.”
Wiley has occupied an office in Oxford since 2007, when it acquired Blackwell Publishing, an Oxford-based company which had been created from the merger of Blackwell Publishers and Blackwell Science, both of which were based in Oxford. Wiley teams perform a variety of different types of work in Oxford, but most focus on research publishing, including editorial, marketing, content transformation, and sales.
Ascent was designed by architects Spratley & Partners and delivered by Bowmer & Kirkland. ARC Oxford and Wiley were represented by CBRE and JLL respectively. The development sits at the heart of the campus surrounded by over 50 pioneering organisations and including OMass Therapeutics, OrganOx, Perspectum, FluoRok, Seloxium, Oxford Biomedica, Gilead and Ivy Farm.
Sustainability and wellbeing are central to Ascent’s design. The building is set to exceed Oxford City Council’s sustainability policies, targeting a BREEAM Excellent rating and a 40% reduction in operational carbon emissions compared with current building regulations. It will also achieve Fitwel certification, recognising features designed to support the health and wellbeing of its occupants.
Located in Oxford, ARC Oxford benefits from close proximity to world-class research hospitals, including the John Radcliffe, Churchill and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, as well as the Universities of Oxford, a major driver of research commercialisation and spin-out activity. Improved infrastructure and enhanced connectivity, including the planned Cowley Branch Train Line, is further strengthening the campus’ appeal to innovative businesses helping with attract talent, scale operations and drive sustainable innovation.
