Imperial College London has chosen ISG as preferred contractor to deliver a circa £70 million project to construct its new Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub.
The Hub is one of the flagship buildings at the College’s White City Campus, a new 23-acre district dedicated to research and innovation in science, engineering, medicine and business.
Designed as a collaborative facility, it will provide space for Imperial’s world-leading researchers, engineers, scientists and clinicians to work alongside one another to address some of the most pressing biomedical and healthcare problems of our time. It will further life-changing research into new and affordable medical technology.
Research areas will include new technologies for the early detection, monitoring and treatment of cancers; the development of minimally invasive implants; regenerative medicine and technology to aid recovery from nervous system injuries. The Hub will incorporate a clinical facility side-by-side with multidisciplinary laboratories and offices for translational research initiatives, providing patients with direct access to the latest innovations in healthcare.
The construction of the Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub has been made possible thanks to an unprecedented £40 million gift from Imperial alumnus Sir Michael Uren OBE and his foundation – the largest ever donation made to a London university by an alumnus, and one of the largest in the history of any UK higher education institution.
Graham Stark, Development Director for the White City Campus at Imperial College London, said: “Driving collaboration across research disciplines for the benefit of society is fundamental to Imperial’s strategy. The Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Hub is an immensely exciting step forward in achieving this ambition. By supporting new research partnerships to bring about world-changing advances in medical technology, the Hub will help people affected by a diverse range of medical conditions. The facility is integral to the College’s vision for the wider White City Campus, which will provide new space for Imperial, its partners and businesses to help address some of the world’s greatest challenges.”
Work on the Hub is due to start on site in early 2017 and is scheduled for completion in 2019. The 14-storey arrow-shaped facility will feature a hybrid concrete and steel frame structure. A full-height steel frame nose cone, forming the apex of the arrow, will house the building’s complex mechanical and electrical services infrastructure. A glazed façade with prefabricated and geometrically distinct concrete fins to two elevations will provide solar shading as well as complementing the building’s striking design.
The Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Hub’s internal design will showcase the construction materials used to create the structure and high-end concrete finishes will feature throughout the building, with exposed soffits, walls and columns. In line with Imperial’s commitment to sustainability, the new Hub will aim to achieve a BREEAM Very Good environmental performance rating and the scheme will be delivered in BIM to Level 2 maturity.
Danny Blakeston, managing director of ISG’s engineering services business, commented: “Securing our latest major project for Imperial at the White City Campus is a major achievement for the business. It cements our reputation as a specialist in the delivery of highly-engineered spaces.
“The new Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Research Hub is a highly-flexible research facility that will play a key role in the development of Imperial’s newest campus in west London.”
The scheme builds on ISG’s extensive experience delivering world-class laboratories and research and development facilities. It is the latest in a legacy of over 30 projects the company has successfully delivered for Imperial College London, from flagship new build and complex refurbishment schemes, to smaller scale fit outs and individual laboratory projects.
