1-12 Magdalen Street – Oxford – Façade Consultancy

We are pleased to announce our involvement as Façade Consultants in the redevelopment of 1–12 Magdalen Street in Oxford.

This prominent historic building has deep commercial roots, originally housing the Elliston & Cavell department store from 1894 and later became part of the Debenhams chain until its closure in 2021. Although not a statutory listed building, it sits within the Conservation Area of the city and has two beautiful heritage facades.

In 2024, the building was acquired by a joint venture between Pioneer Group, Oxford Science Enterprises, and The Crown Estate and is now set for a major transformation into a 100,000 square foot home for science, innovation and technology businesses featuring a range of labs and a dedicated conference and events space

This £125m redevelopment due to start on site in the first half of 2027, is expected to be completed by 2029 and represents a key part of Oxford’s strategic expansion as a global science and technology hub, blending heritage preservation with future-focused innovation.

PRA have been involved since RIBA Stage 3, refining the concept design and assisting Perkins & Will with all façade aspects relevant to the spatial coordination.

We have carried out a condition survey of the existing façade and provided a comprehensive report, paying particular attention to the requirements around the remediation of a heritage building whilst concentrating on design aspects such as U-value targets, condensation considerations, weathertightness, embodied carbon emissions and stone conditions.

Following this, we will be on board at RIBA Stage 4, reviewing and developing the technical façade drawings and specifications supplied by our client and architects, Perkins & Will.

Architect: Perkins&Will
Client:  The Crown Estate / Pioneer Group / Oxford Science Group
Façade Consultant – Patrick Ryan Associates