Civic Trust Award for Pears Building
3 April 2023
A construction project led by an NHS charity to create a bespoke home for the UK’s most advanced research into the human immune system has scooped a leading architecture award.
The Pears Building, commissioned by the Royal Free Charity and designed by Hopkins Architects, was highly commended at the Civic Trust Awards on Friday (31 Mar).
The building houses UCL’s Institute of Immunity and Transplantation (IIT), two floors of accommodation for patients of the Royal Free Hospital and those taking part in clinical trials, and the charity’s office headquarters.
The partnership between the charity, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and the IIT means:
- scientists have greater access to patient samples, helping to ensure that laboratory work goes in the right direction to improve care for patients
- patients have greater access to clinical trials and new treatments.
Jon Spiers, chief executive of the Royal Free Charity, said: “The Pears Building project has won quite a few industry awards already but there’s no doubt that winning a Civic Trust Award is particularly special. These awards celebrate architecture that is sensitive to the local environment and makes a meaningful difference to the local community.
“It was always our aspiration that the Pears Building would not only provide the perfect conditions for scientists to tackle some of the most pressing issues in immunology research, but that it would be a landmark that Hampstead residents could be really proud of.”
Professor Hans Stauss, director of the IIT, said: “Our Institute is dedicated to the patient-focused research of the human immune system. We are working to bring meaningful health improvements to London, the UK and worldwide. I’m delighted that this work is being undertaken in a building that also brings benefits to the local community.”
John Connolly, chief executive of the Royal Free Hospital, said: “We’re delighted the Pears Building has been recognised in this way. From the outset we were determined that the building would bring a host of benefits to our patients and our local community – both in terms of the world-leading clinical research being carried out there and in the design and feel of the building itself. I would like to say a huge congratulations to everyone involved in the realisation of this stunning building.”
The award
The Civic Trust Awards celebrate excellence in architecture that is sustainable, accessible and provides a positive civic contribution.
Located on the Royal Free Hospital campus in Hampstead, the building’s innovative design includes a green roof, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting systems, reducing its carbon footprint and contributing to the hospital’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
The £60 million project is the result of a unique partnership between philanthropy, science and medicine. It allows research and medicine to work side-by-side, speeding up the pathway of new discoveries from laboratory to direct patient care.
The Pears Building
- Researchers housed in the building have played a key role in vital COVID-19 research and in stem-cell and gene therapy treatments designed to prevent organ rejection.
- Scientists have also worked to inspire the next generation of researchers by hosting a number of visits from local schoolchildren.
- The patient accommodation has provided 6,816 bookings
- The Royal Free Charity’s open plan office and meeting rooms occupy one floor of the building
- An army of volunteers assembles at the charity’s offices every day to check in and be assigned their duties at the neighbouring Royal Free Hospital. In 2022, volunteers gave 26,000 hours of their time to support staff and patients.
The Pears Building joins a distinguished list of projects to receive the Civic Trust Award, which has been recognizing excellence in architecture and environmental design since 1959.
