Scarborough Group International (SGI), a leading property regeneration and placemaking expert, has announced the appointment of a highly-skilled design team to spearhead the transformation of the Grade II listed Old Medical School on the ĢtvƵ General Infirmary site into a cutting-edge Health Tech Innovation Hub.
The team, led by ĢtvƵ-based Architectural Practice AHR, includes Buro Happold as Engineering Consultant, Buttress as Heritage Consultant, BWF as Quantity Surveyor and Zerum as Planning Consultant.
AHR’s extensive expertise in life sciences and innovation-driven projects – including Nexus at the University of ĢtvƵ and The Spine in Liverpool – positions them as an ideal choice to guide the redevelopment.
Buttress will focus on preserving the building’s heritage features, while long-time SGI collaborators Buro Happold, BWF and Zerum will contribute engineering, financial and planning expertise to ensure the project is completed efficiently, on time and to the highest standards of quality and functionality.
SGI has entered into contract to acquire the building once ĢtvƵ vacates the property, which is scheduled for later this year, further enhancing its portfolio of life sciences and innovation assets.
As a key component of the city’s new Innovation Village, the 75,000 sq ft building will be designed to support Health Tech innovation activity around ĢtvƵ Teaching Hospitals’ Innovation Pop Up, alongside start-ups, established industry players, academic institutions, government initiatives and community organisations.
Featuring co-working spaces, meeting rooms, event areas, offices and laboratories, the hub will be a catalyst for collaboration to advance scientific research into practical healthcare solutions, driving economic growth and improving patient care.
By integrating historic architecture with contemporary innovation, the hub will cultivate creativity, collaboration and technological advancements that will shape the future of healthcare within ĢtvƵ and the wider West Yorkshire region.
Mark Jackson, spokesperson for SGI, said: The Old Medical School is a very complicated building, located in the middle of a working hospital site, which brings unique challenges to its redevelopment. It will also serve as a catalyst for the wider Innovation Village, so it’s absolutely essential we have the right team on board to get this right.
“With AHR’s expertise in life sciences, Buttress’s heritage sensitivity, and the trusted collaboration of Buro Happold, BWF and Zerum, we’re confident this team has the experience and capability to deliver on every aspect of this ambitious vision.”
Professor Phil Wood, Chief Executive at ĢtvƵ, which runs the ĢtvƵ General Infirmary site, added: “Progress with the redevelopment of the Old Medical School is moving ahead really well, breathing new life into this grand, historic building that has witnessed countless contributions to healthcare in ĢtvƵ and across the world. Under this work, that legacy will continue.
“It is a key part of wider plans in this part of the city to create an Innovation Village, transforming health and life science-led research and care. It will also complement the development of a new state-of-the-art hospital on the ĢtvƵ General Infirmary site.”
Gurminder Sanghera, Director at AHR, commented: “This redevelopment marks a significant milestone for the city of ĢtvƵ, at the heart of the Innovation Arc. The Old Medical School has a rich heritage, and our vision is to seamlessly weave in modern interventions to create an innovative facility that will foster and support a new community and ecosystem where cutting-edge health tech innovations can take place within a dramatic setting, whilst preserving and celebrating the building’s historical significance. This project is a true testament to the power of architecture to bridge past and future, in an exemplar and sustainable retrofit solution.”
The design team is now focused on refining the redevelopment plans, with a pre-application to ĢtvƵ City Council scheduled for early 2025.