The Royal London and St. Bartholomew's Hospitals, London
2002-2003

Terry Farrell and Partners submitted detailed concept designs for The Royal London Hospital and St. Bartholomew's Hospital. Collectively, these represent one of the biggest national healthcare projects ever undertaken in the UK.
For many years now, TFP have been interested in the life and internal organisation of large institutions and how they can be integrated into our cities.

A hospital, in particular, is a large complex organisation. For patients it is the place where the drama of major crises of illness and healing are worked out. For staff it is the location for dedicated professional work. For visitors, anxious about loved ones, it is a place of hope and, on occasion, of grieving. For the local community it serves, it is a major public building and a symbol of community health and pride. It is part of their neighbourhood. It is also a major institution of London, a source of civic prestige and pride.

Our proposals celebrated this rich diversity of activity and purpose that is the essence of both The Royal London and Barts through our concept of the hospital as a city in microcosm with a structure of buildings and spaces which draws its inspiration from the city itself. The concept was the creation of a city within the city, an urban village, integrated with its surroundings and adding new public spaces and great new architecture into the urban scene.

The approach was warmly received by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the City of London respectively and also English Heritage and CABE.