UCLH Phase 5

University College London Hospital’s (UCLH) new specialist facility for ear, nose and throat medicine is situated within the Bloomsbury Conservation Area. The hospital builds on the neighbourhood’s architectural heritage, while prioritising patient experience and operational efficiency. The scheme inverts the typical typology of windowless waiting rooms and clinical spaces along the elevation, placing circulation and shared waiting spaces along the façade. Wide bays, echoing the adjacent Victorian mansion block, feature floor-to-ceiling-windows, flooding the interiors with light while offering generous view out. The exterior combines pre-cast concrete bands, perforated masonry screens and traditional handmade brick, offering a contemporary interpretation of the surrounding listed residential buildings, while delivering passive shading to internal areas. The brickwork is complemented by exposed glass volumes, and elements of the core, including lifts, stairs and risers, are expressed in the external massing. This articulated silhouette denotes the hospital’s entrance for patients approaching from the north and west. A prefabrication process designed with the contractor reduced on-site health and safety risks and construction time while ensuring greater quality and finish. Efficient new service systems also help to reduce overheating and energy consumption, to create a high-performance clinical building. The scheme, which replaces the locally listed Royal Ear Hospital, represents close collaborative working with planning and heritage officers at the London Borough of Camden.