Camden Council has approved plans for Great Ormond Street Hospital's new £90m research centre for children's diseases.
Designed by Stanton Williams, The Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children will be built in a partnership with University College London.
It will include an outpatient department that will host clinics for children and young people with a range of rare and complex conditions. It will also house a variety of laboratories, specialist equipment rooms, and workspaces where more than 350 experts will work side by side to advance the understanding of rare diseases, identify new and better treatments, and manufacture innovative medical devices.
Two thirds of the cost has been provided by the wife of the founder of the United Arab Emirates, with the rest coming from fundraising and UK grants.
The building has been carefully designed to be sensitive to its context within a conservation area, revitalise the streetscape, and give public expression to the important scientific endeavours within
Stanton Williams director, Gavin Henderson, said: “The building has been carefully designed to be sensitive to its context within a conservation area, revitalise the streetscape, and give public expression to the important scientific endeavours within.
“Internally, the design of the new centre promotes interaction between patients and research staff. Extensive glazing offering views into the lower-ground laboratories and a carefully-articulated network of vertical terracotta fins, gives a strong visual identity to the facades opposite Coram’s Fields, reflecting the public significance of the building and the important work taking place inside.”
Planning officers at Camden council said the design would be a ‘significant improvement over the existing building’, enhancing the character and appearance of the conservation area through ‘its consideration to form, architectural composition and material palette’.
Construction is expected to start this October with the building due to open in 2018.
- Companies:
- University College London
- Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust
- Stanton Williams
