Skanska has announced that it has reached "practical completion" on the construction of the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children, on behalf of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

This is Skanska's second scheme at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH), supporting the world-renowned children's hospital's vision of driving forward new treatments and cures.

Skanska has been responsible for designing, building and fitting-out the Centre, which will bring together pioneering research and clinical care under one roof to drive forward new treatments and cures for children with rare and complex diseases. The building is also home to new outpatient facilities. The Zayed Centre for Research is a partnership between Great Ormond Street Hospital, University College London (UCL) and Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.


The building includes:

• 4,200m³ concrete to build the frame, weighing 10,500 tonnes

• 5,000 metres of drywall partitions

• 13,000m² of floor space

• 2,500m² of glass within the external walls

• A BREEAM sustainability rating of Excellent.

In addition:

• 500 researchers, clinicians and allied health professionals from GOSH, ICH, and from UCL's Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences will work in the state-of-the-art facilities

• 200 patients a day will be seen in the Centre as outpatients

• The Centre has more than 160 lab bench positions

• The Centre houses 21 consultation rooms and eight clinical investigation rooms.

Graham Ashley, Construction Director for Skanska, said: "We are so proud to be involved in the creation of this important facility. Bringing patients, clinicians and scientists together in one place means that pioneering research into paediatric rare diseases can advance further and faster. It's a great example of Skanska building what matters."

(MH/CM)