MICA talks ‘Healthy Cities’ at Future Cities Forum

Director Gavin Miller spoke about MICA’s work on St Thomas’ Hospital Block 9 + the Prideaux Building for Kings College London at the latest Future Cities forum yesterday.

Titled ‘Healthy Cities’, the event addressed various health-related issues facing the city. The forum stated that it found MICA’s work for Kings College London particularly significant because it comes at “a time when some NHS Trusts are finding it hard to renovate and manage their estate buildings because of increasing costs.”

“Many buildings are historic in nature but need to work hard to fulfil modern day medical needs and training programmes,” said the forum.

On a unique site between the Palace of Westminster and Lambeth Palace Gardens, the former victorian medical school is at the southern end of the Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital campus and the project aims to regenerate under-utilised buildings. Sensitive to the heritage assets in the area, the more recent and modern Prideaux building will be removed so that the historic elements of the old buildings can be viewed.

A new addition to the site is proposed with a double basement providing a large flexible space with lecture theatre allowing for medical conferences with wider benefits for GSST and the local community. Spill out open spaces are also part of the design with daylight flowing in from a light-well. The scheme was approved by Lambeth’s Planning application committee in September 2016.

Topics covered during the forum included: city planning and place-making for well-being and resilience; the development and design of science research hubs; and the urban integration of sport and exercise for a healthy population.

To read more about MICA’s work for Kings College London, click here.