People flow analysis used for Norwich research facility

The Quadram Institute is a catalyst for collaboration and innovation. The first of its kind in Europe, the £75 million facility opened its doors in 2018 to provide a space that encourages greater collaboration between three resident organisations – the former Institute of Food Research (now Quadram Institute Bioscience), the University of East Anglia, and the endoscopy department from the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital (NNUH) – while providing state-of-the art facilities for NHS patients. The project was designed by a team led by international science and healthcare design architects, NBBJ, and integrated engineering consultancy, BuroHappold. 

Located on the Norwich Research Park, a centre of excellence for research into food and health, the 14,000 m2 building is home to 300 researchers exploring the relationship between diet and disease, along with 100 clinicians and support staff. It incorporates a new Clinical Research Facility that hosts research studies into a range of health conditions, involving patients and volunteers. The building also welcomes 40,000 patients each year to Europe’s largest colorectal surgery and gastrointestinal endoscopy unit. 

To design and develop the Quadram Institute it was essential to understand the use and governance requirements of each organisation from the outset. Hospitals are busy, efficient organisations dealing with large volumes of patients; research laboratories run at a different pace, their competitiveness manifesting in research journals and academic conferences. This contrast has a direct impact on the very distinct spaces needed to facilitate the respective work streams. Putting these groups in such close proximity was challenging, but has proven to lead to novel cross-over and connections.