After agreeing a 10-year partnership with the UK Government, Moderna needed to build a bespoke office, R&D and manufacturing centre in Oxfordshire. Timing and fast delivery were fundamental to the project’s success.

The initial challenge was to source the ideal UK location for the state-of-the-art Moderna Innovation and Technology Centre (MITC). Once secured, the next challenge was to design and build out the facility’s office and staff amenity spaces.

The goal was to create a modern, collaborative work environment to support the important scientific research happening in the adjacent labs, fostering innovation and attracting top talent.

JLL leveraged its integrated platform to provide a holistic solution. The process began with JLL’s Office Agency team, who agreed on a detailed brief and carried out an extensive search across the Southeast. Given the tight timing constraints, the team recommended strategies to fast-track the project – setting up shadow teams, including architects, project managers and technical teams – to work in parallel with the landlord's teams.

Following site selection, Tétris Design x Build, a JLL company, was engaged to design and fit out the office and support spaces from a shell-and-core state. This approach focused on creating a human-centric workspace for Moderna. The JLL Sustainability Consulting team was also involved early on to ensure the design met LEED criteria, aligning with Moderna’s corporate strategy.

JLL’s tenant representation, brokerage, planning and developer teams worked together from project kick-off to assess the viability of sites and developers. Identifying a shortlist of sites in this way reduced delivery risk by including only viable sites with planning in place, a funded landlord and an experienced developer.

The vision was brought to life through the creation of a bespoke office environment that reflects Moderna's corporate identity, seamlessly transitioning from the Agency team's site selection to Tétris Design x Build, and the Sustainability Consulting team.

The project faced unique challenges due to the building's nature as a shell containing pre-fabricated modular labs. Tétris had to engineer the office fit-out around these technical areas, redesigning steelwork and solving complex issues related to services and acoustics.

Given the complexity of the base build model, Tétris took a comprehensive approach from the outset. The team assisted the client throughout the entire process – from detailed design reviews and initial test-fits through to completion – working collaboratively alongside the base build consultants. This integrated approach ensured that, despite the technical challenges, the best possible space was achieved for Moderna's specific operational needs.

By delivering a high quality, collaborative office environment, JLL helped Moderna create a space that empowers its people to focus on their important scientific and research activities. The brand new facility was delivered on time and became operational within the target timeframes.

The project showcases JLL's unique ability to act as a single, integrated partner, from strategic site selection to expert design, with the workspace on track for LEED Silver certification.

This holistic support solidified a strong client relationship built on trust and comprehensive expertise.