Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine Building Edinburgh, Sheppard Robson Architects in Scotland
Centre for Regenerative Medicine Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Scotland
28 May 2012
Princess Royal Opens University of Edinburgh’s Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine
HRH the Princess Royal marks the official opening today (28.05.12) of the £54 million University of Edinburgh’s Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine (SCRM) building.
photo courtesy of architects office
Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine
Designed by architecture practice Sheppard Robson, SCRM is the first large-scale, purpose-built facility of its kind in the UK and is set to become the first laboratory building in Scotland to receive a BREEAM Excellent rating. BREEAM is one of the world’s foremost environmental assessment methods and rating systems for buildings.
Located at Edinburgh BioQuarter, the SCRM building will provide a sustainable environment for the study and development of new treatments for human diseases based on regenerative medicine.
Edinburgh BioQuarter, located in the South East of Edinburgh, is a medical science park built in partnership between Scottish Enterprise, the University of Edinburgh, NHS Lothian and Alexandria Real Estate Equities, delivering commercial outcomes from the world-class medical research being undertaken in the University of Edinburgh and at NHS Lothian.
photograph courtesy of architecture office
Professor Charles Ffrench-Constant, Director of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, said: “Sustainability is central to the design of the new SCRM, and nowhere more so than in its science. An iconic building, visually striking and functionally state-of-the-art, this new facility provides the magnet we need to recruit the brightest and the best and so maintain our world-leading science and train the next generation of doctors and scientists in the exciting new field of regenerative medicine.”
Luke Thurman, associate at Sheppard Robson, said: “The building’s internal form mimics a ‘pebble in a pond’ effect with smaller, darker spaces, such as the cell culture rooms, positioned in the centre of the building while laboratory spaces are positioned in the middle and write-up spaces are located next to the outer walls, allowing for natural ventilation and lighting.”
The building has achieved SCRM’s objective of BREEAM Excellent rating through the choice of materials, active and passive sustainable systems and an efficiency of design and detailing.
“As well as the integrated approach to sustainability and the reduction of embodied energy, the placement of the plant on the mezzanine floor within the middle of the building has reduced service runs and simplified connections of the complex service requirements of the lab building,” said Thurman.
“This goes some way towards improving the flexibility of the building and its ability to change with developing technology; a key requirement of all end users.”
photo courtesy of architects office
Externally, large openable windows at the ground and first floor ensure that natural light is maximised and an open window can provide local cooling and ventilation as required. These glazed screens are augmented with vertical fixed louvres or fins that provide the solar shading required to minimise heat gain. Active sustainability systems include rainwater recycling and a ground source heat pump, powered by the photovoltaic panels on the roof, to reduce energy consumption within the building.
Sheppard Robson worked as part of a design team that included consulting engineers Buro Happold and contractor Miller Construction to deliver a building designed for 250 people but able to accommodate up to 350. The 8,700 sqm building delivers a 22% reduction in carbon emissions against industry benchmark figures while 76% of its energy is contributed from renewable sources.
The treatment of the external spaces and integration into the landscape strategy for the BioQuarter ensures that the external environment to SCRM is as much a part the building as it is part of the overall master plan site.
“The building is designed to complement the environment within which it sits. The cantilevered laboratory is clad in aluminium fins, which provide maximum impact on arrival to the site while also maximising the views of the surrounding landscape and minimising solar gain,” said Thurman.
Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine Building images / information received 280512
Previously:
Edinburgh Centre for Regenerative Medicine
Sheppard Robson’s research centre at Edinburgh’s new BioQuarter has gained planning permission. The £59m Scottish Centre for Regenerative Medicine will be built next to the new Edinburgh Royal Infirmary at Little France. The building will be built to BREEAM Excellent standards and should be complete by 2011.
Edinburgh BioQuarter is a joint project between the Edinburgh University, Scottish Enterprise and international property investment trust, Alexandria Real Estate Equities.
Previously:
Sheppard Robson wins the University of Edinburgh’s Centre for Regenerative Medicine
images courtesy of architects practice
Sheppard Robson has been appointed to design the Centre for Regenerative Medicine for the University of Edinburgh. The new £35m centre located on the Royal Infirmary/University’s Little France campus will attract scientists from around the world by providing facilities to develop new approaches towards prevention and treatment of debilitating diseases through innovative research with stem cells.
The project will translate the attributes of stem cells and its ability to transform into a variety of other tissue cells. The nucleus of the scheme, the proposed central support area, acts as the stem cell which via a series of connecting bridges (the ‘arteries’) converts into the functional laboratory buildings (’tissue’).
Dictated by their function and Little France campus masterplan the laboratory buildings enclose two sides of the site providing a strong frontage to the primary access road of Little France Drive, whilst the hub of the development, the flexible central support building housing write-up spaces, meeting areas and a library, provides a more dynamic, yielding space. The elevation towards the central water adopts a less rigid approach and incorporates a café at lower level, encouraging greater interaction between the central water feature and users of the campus.
The highly serviced wings consist of a standard laboratory space and testing area, stem cell research area with ultra clean rooms and commercial laboratory space and are defined by either vertical or horizontal facade treatment, while the central atrium space oversails the link bridges into the hub and acts to passively support the environment outside of the highly services laboratories.
The design team includes structural and service engineers Buro Happold, planning supervisors Turner & Townsend and landscape architects Ian White Associates.
Sheppard Robson
Sheppard Robson is an international practice providing architectural, urban design, town planning, masterplanning and interior design services. With more than 65 years experience, it is one of the largest practices in the UK with over 300 people in established offices in both London and Manchester. Voted Sustainable Designer of the Year and Interior Design of the Year the practice enjoys a reputation for excellence in design and professional service, with extensive expertise in almost every development area.
University of Edinburgh Buildings
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