It comes as Willmott Dixon is targeting a £125 million a year turnover in interiors work within three years, tackling a range of projects from design and fit-out of one-off contracts to delivering major brand roll-out programmes for big retail, leisure and hotel companies across the UK.

The refurbishment of the University of Brighton’s Cockcroft building is one example of the larger scale interiors work being delivered by Willmott Dixon. It involves the refit of a 15,000m² multi-use building to allow several departments to share modern accommodation that includes staff offices, IT facilities as well as specialist teaching and research facilities.

Each floor of Cockcroft will be completely refurbished while the building remains operational throughout the project, including replacing all windows to provide better insulation and energy performance, together with a timber decking system to create new terraces on the 8th floor that look out across Brighton.

Procured through the IESE framework, Willmott Dixon is working with a design team that includes Fraser Brown MacKenna, Mott MacDonald, Curtins Consulting and Burnley Wilson.

Mike Hart, chief operating officer responsible for Willmott Dixon’s interiors work said: “We’re delighted to be working with the team at the University of Brighton to ensure the Cockcroft building can meet the demands of the 21st century. The modernisation is a major investment by a university that wants to have premium facilities to attract the best students and academics.”

In the past, our interiors workload was mainly concentrated on commercial work in London. Now we’re delivering projects across all sectors, including commercial, health, hotels, leisure, retail and education, including Free Schools, and higher education, using the synergies and networks across Willmott Dixon.”