The design team behind Oriel, a joint initiative which would see Moorfields and UCL IoO services move from Islington to a purpose- built centre in Camden’s Knowledge Quarter, have revealed ‘the latest iteration’ of how the building could look.
Oriel is a joint development scheme between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UCL Institute of Ophthalmology (IoO), and Moorfields Eye Charity. If planning permission is granted, the new centre could be open to patients in 2025/26. The team – comprising AECOM, Penoyre & Prasad, and White Arkitekter – is preparing a planning application on behalf of the project partners for submission to Camden Council this autumn for ‘a new state-of-the-art facility that would bring patient-centred eye care, cutting-edge research, and education expertise, under one roof.’ Updated images (see photo) of how the new integrated centre could look have been issued as part of a public consultation currently under way.
The launch of the computer-generated images coincides with National Eye Health Week. David Probert, Chief Executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This week is an ideal time to get the public thinking about healthy vision. We really want to hear about what matters most to people in the provision of eye care, alongside the delivery of a world-class research facility. Our award-winning team has put the needs of patients, staff, researchers, and academics, at the heart of what we believe will be an iconic building where exemplary care will be matched by scientific innovation and education. I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to get in touch with us and share their views on our proposed designs for this exciting new centre.”
Professor Alan Thompson, Dean of the UCL Faculty of Brain Sciences, said: “The location of the proposed new building is ideally suited to facilitating collaboration with London’s knowledge-based cultural and scientific businesses. As we prepare to submit our planning application, our focus is on making sure we deliver a centre that is accessible, flexible, and enables us to undertake ground-breaking research that will translate into real patient benefits.”
Robert Dufton, Chief Executive at Moorfields Eye Charity, said: “We’ve been reaching out to a wide cross-section of society, including our potential neighbours in Camden, so that the design of our building is fit for the people it serves. We welcome feedback that will inform our designs and reflect what people have told us during our consultation.”
Subject to planning permission, the St Pancras Hospital site earmarked for the new development should contribute to the invigoration of an area already benefiting from ongoing regeneration.
