The architects, HOK, have been chosen to design a world-leading
medical research centre to fight disease in London.
The four consortium partners behind the UK Centre for Medical
Research and Innovation (UKCMRI) - the Medical Research Council
(MRC), Cancer Research UK, the Wellcome Trust and UCL (University
College London) - plan to create an internationally renowned
science facility on 3.6 acres of land at Brill Place, behind the
British Library in the Somers Town/King's Cross area of central
London. The consortium has selected architects HOK as the preferred
bidder to work with them on this project, subject to a period of
contract finalisation.
HOK has a reputation for creating outstanding buildings which
exemplify exacting design standards. The company has designed a
variety of significant buildings including: Barclays Bank World
Headquarters, London; the Darwin Centre Phase 1 at the Natural
History Museum, London; King Abdullah University of Science &
Technology, Saudi Arabia; and the Interdisciplinary Research
Complex, Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
UKCMRI was announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown on 5
December 2007. It will carry out research of the highest quality
using the latest technology to advance understanding of human
health and disease.
The detailed design requirements of the facility and the science
to be conducted inside are being discussed by an expert committee
chaired by the Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse. Sir Paul said: "HOK
will play an important role in helping us to create a building that
will attract the world's best scientists to the UK. This country is
already a leader in medical research - this project plays a
fundamental role in our ambition to consolidate and build on that
position. We want a building that will help our scientists work
with experts from different disciplines, from centres of excellence
across the country and the world, to make a tremendous difference
to our understanding of human disease."