Mark Beard, chairman of construction group Beard
Beard has been appointed as preferred bidder on a £20m project to build three new basements as part of an extension and restructure of the existing basement of Rhodes House in central Oxford.
The work on the building, home to the Rhodes Trust, will create additional accommodation, increased office space, and a new conference centre.
A central staircase will be installed inside the existing marble-clad rotunda. The staircase will provide access from ground level to the foyer of the new conference centre.
An all-new glass structure will also be constructed at ground level above the new office space and carbon-fibre reinforcement added to provide support to the existing structure.
The bulk of the project involves works below ground level, allowing the Trust’s operations to continue during construction.
Subject to planning consents, the main construction will begin at the end of July 2020.
The project is expected to take approximately 24 months to complete, enabling the new facilities to open in autumn 2022.
Dean Averies, director for Beard Oxford, commented: “This is a once-in-a-lifetime project. The Rhodes Trust is a world-renowned institution, and Rhodes House is a very special building in its own right.
“Our longstanding association with the University of Oxford means Beard is ideally placed to deliver facilities that will enhance the Trust’s work while respecting the history of the building and the Trust.
“We put health and safety at the heart of everything we do, so during this Covid-19 period, we will continue to operate to the highest possible standards, ensuring the site is run in line with best practice and government guidance on how to keep all who work there safe and well.”
