Topping Out at EIT’s Campus - Building a Launchpad for Science

We were proud to welcome our partners to celebrate the topping out ceremony - a moment made possible by the expertise, dedication and shared vision of Foster+ Partners, Ridge and Laing O’Rourke. From the earliest concept discussions through to today, their teams have shaped every detail of a building designed to support ambitious science at scale.

Littlemore House will be far more than a place to work. It is being built as a highly adaptable environment for scientists, technologists, engineers, researchers and educators - featuring autonomous laboratories alongside spaces designed for learning, collaboration and exchange. The campus is intended to accelerate the journey from discovery to real-world impact, enabling ideas to move faster from lab to society.

The ceremony brought together speakers including Lisa Flashner, COO of EIT; Professor Chris Holmes, Executive Director and Principal Scientist of the AI& Robotics Institute at EIT; John Blythe, Senior Partner at Foster +Partners; and Cathal O’Rourke, Group COO of Laing O’Rourke, reflecting the deep collaboration behind the project.

Matt Abney, the Senior Director of Real Estate at EIT commented,

"From the very beginning, EIT's Oxford campus has been far more than just creating a functional space. It is being built as the future home for exceptional minds across the science, technology, engineering disciplines - and as a catalyst for meaningful innovation. That ambition is only possible through the deep and extraordinary collaboration of our long term trusted architects and construction colleagues at Foster + Partners, Ridge and Laing O' Rourke- — whose expertise, commitment and craft are turning vision into reality. Today’s milestone is a testament to what that collaboration can achieve. Together, we are bringing this campus to life."

In keeping with tradition, the moment was marked by the crane pass of a fir tree over the building - a ritual that dates back centuries. Long used to symbolise growth, resilience and prosperity, the evergreen felt especially fitting for a campus designed to support long-term scientific progress and ideas that endure.