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Company Spotlight: Oberlanders
Published on 30 October 2023
Celebrating its 40th year in business, the Milton Park team speaks to architectural practice Oberlanders to learn more about its recent success.
Creating an impact
Oberlanders’ mission is to create sustainable and people-focused design solutions. The team strives to enhance the quality of people’s lives who live in, work in and experience its developments, from large urban masterplans to local community centres.
40 years in business
Employing over 100 people, Oberlanders has enjoyed significant growth in recent years. Its premises at Milton Park is one of the practice’s seven studios, joining others located across the Golden Triangle, Scotland and the North of England.
Throughout the last 40 years, Oberlanders has been proud to maintain a transparent design approach, focusing on getting projects right from the start and pushing the art of what’s possible.
A top 100 practice
This year, Oberlanders received its first placement in The Architects’ Journal’s AJ100, a definitive ranking of the UK’s largest architectural practices.
Placing at 59th, this milestone led the team to win AJ100’s ‘Newcomer of the Year’ award, ranking the highest of the six other first-time AJ100 firms.
Celebrating the achievement, Managing Partner Phil Macdonald said: “Collaboration is at the heart of our ethos and we are grateful for all our clients, and the consultants, contractors and architects that have been with us on our journey.
“I am exceptionally proud of all our Oberlanders team and it is a real honour to accept this award amongst a peer group of such exceptional talent.”
Regional insight
Projects at Oberlanders’ Milton Park studio focus on areas across the Golden Triangle, working with clients such as the University of Oxford and other prominent science parks.
Some of its recent projects include:
• Fitting out former office and shell spaces into state-of-the-art research and laboratory facilities
• Undertaking a high-level review of an existing masterplan on one of the region’s major science centres
• Carrying out feasibility studies to expand a major research institute
Collaboration and connectivity
With a significant amount of Oberlanders’ work in the science and technology sector, a home at Milton Park seemed a natural fit. Its connections and proximity to Oxford as a world-renowned centre for research excellence help to generate new opportunities for the practice.
Jeannine Baker-Wilson, Director of Architecture at Oberlanders, said: “We were attracted to Milton Park as a hub of collaborative, connected businesses which support growth in the sector, as well as within the local economy. The team has made fantastic connections throughout the Park and we feel part of a close-knit community.”
Speaking of community, members from the Oberlanders team have also been dedicated ambassadors for the Explore Milton Park school programme, volunteering at numerous events including careers panels and interview practice sessions.
Jeannine added about the experience: “I really enjoyed having an opportunity to share my career experience with the young women involved and their questions were insightful, interesting and provoked a lot of discussion.
“I’d encourage anyone based at Milton Park to get involved in this education programme as the experiences are rewarding for you and the young people involved.”
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