This research and education building is designed to support interdisciplinary collaboration between the NHS Trust and its four University partners. A complex brief called for corridor-free interiors to encourage interaction between researchers and multiple connections between the adjacent Hospital, neighbourhood and park.

The building maximises the site’s footprint to create a feeling of spatial generosity within a porous and light-filled interior. A curvilinear central atrium is formed by a series of open yet intimate spaces and contains voids, bridges, meeting and write-up spaces, shared working and breakout spaces, and garden terraces. The parkland setting helps provide an exceptional working environment with natural materials, an abundance of natural daylight and effective temperature control.

A mix of open plan and cellular offices, teaching spaces, lecture theatres and laboratories are arranged across three modular and flexible floorplates. This allowed us to work closely with the wide variety of stakeholders involved – academic researchers, healthcare professionals, technology companies, commercial research teams, students and educators – to ensure the building met their varying requirements.

The building delivers a robust, affordable, low maintenance solution for the NHS Trust, as well as reduced energy usage and carbon footprint. Contributing to a non-institutional environment, the timber modular facade also reduced cost and installation time allowing money to be ‘spent in the right places’ and on high-quality materials and detailing. The building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating, with biodiverse planting, sustainable drainage solutions, and PVs at roof level.

The project was designed to sit independently from, but connect to, the existing Children’s Hospital and to relate to a wider Masterplan, also designed by Hopkins, which is still being built out. It therefore takes its place as a flagship building carefully thought out as part of a larger NHS Campus Masterplan, connecting both buildings and landscape in a wider public realm.