The Pears Building is the new home for the UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation, the Royal Free Charity and accommodation for patients being treated at the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. The institute pioneers research into new treatments for cancer, type 1 diabetes and hepatitis, among other conditions. Because the hospital is next door, scientists and clinicians can work closely to achieve results faster.
In 2018, when it was being built, we created innovative hoardings that surrounded the site and talked about immunology in layman’s terms, which were very well received by the local community. So much so that when the building was finished and the hoardings came down, we were asked by the Royal Free Charity if they could be recreated and installed in the patient accommodation on the upper floors of the Pears Building.
The panels that we created, like the hoardings before them, include fun and energetic illustrations that comprise pastel shades of pink, blue and purple, with colourful abstract shapes representing cells, chromosomes, viruses, antibodies and other scientific elements. We wanted the designs to effectively immerse the public in the immune system so that they became lost in a cellular environment.
They are intentionally playful and don’t focus on specific medicines or technology, but instead engage with an audience of all ages on an emotional level.
The panels were produced and installed by our good friends at etcltd.co.uk. The key challenge was how to install them whilst minimising the impact on staff and patients in the building. The other key challenge was how to adhere them to the walls, a mixture of poured concrete and plasterboard, with a solution that could support the weight of the panels without damaging the walls themselves.
The end result was a cost-effective solution that has the same impact as the original hoardings and which also works within the confines of the narrow corridors of the building.
Philippa Hutchinson, special projects lead at Royal Free Charity, said
“The artwork for the original hoardings was so well received by the public and staff, it seemed a shame that it would no longer be seen. I was delighted that tothepoint was able to re-purpose it for these panels which give patients and staff in the building an instant impression of the work going on in the laboratories under their feet.”
