Working together with HOK, we have designed the building to be highly interactive and open, with five floors of laboratories above ground specifically designed to promote interdisciplinary work. Four quadrants of neutrally designed laboratory space are structured around a transverse atrium that transmits light and creates interior views. Between the atrium and the labs, a sequence of interlocked double height rooms provides a variety of spaces for gathering.

The building’s offices are lifted above street level so that the public realm can flow into the ground floor. Facing the new square, a public lecture theatre, exhibition space, café, and teaching laboratory enable the scientists to interact with the community through an extensive outreach programme.

Above, two curved roofs enclosing the substantial technical plant are shaped to resonate with the nearby Barlow shed of the St. Pancras International train station and respond to the varying scales of neighbouring buildings. The rhythmic façade of the terracotta masonry base establishes a relation of scale and materiality with the surrounding buildings from the eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

As a centre for excellence for biomedical research, the Crick will keep the UK at the forefront of innovation in discovery research, attracting world-class talent and high-value investment to London and the UK.

The Francis Crick Institute adheres to strong sustainability principles, setting a new standard for modern sustainable design. The building achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating with a score of  74.2% and has been designed to comply with Building Regulations Part L 2010.