Situated opposite the Houses of Parliament, the East Wing is a prominent landmark on the South Bank.

Estimated to cost £27 million ($40.80 million), the refurbishment includes re-cladding of the 13-storied East Wing building on the St Thomas’ Hospital site in central London. The renovation aims at enhancing the environmental performance of the building, upgradation of facilities for patients and staff, and improvement of the building’s aesthetics on the London skyline.

The renovation also includes an elegant re-cladding solution for the East Wing featuring a new glazed external envelope, which creates two new triangular atria, transforming the appearance and improving the functionality of the building.

Adding to that the design solves the historic water penetration problems that have blighted the 1960s structure, while providing additional patient lift capacity in the new atrium above the building’s northern courtyard.

Sustainability and environmental features of the renovation includes the incorporation of a range of passive controls in the re-clad design to maintain comfortable ambient temperatures within the building. The atria roofs will be constructed from ETFE cushions in a diamond configuration to shade direct sunlight from the south, whilst permitting softer indirect light from the north to naturally illuminate the internal space.

New steelwork, hung from the roof, will support single glazing on the western façade, with aluminium ventilation louvers at the top and bottom of each panel to naturally ventilate the buffer zone between the existing and new envelope.

Additional high level timber solar shading panels will reduce solar gain, while maintaining views across the River Thames to the House of Parliament.

The 200-bed East Wing is located at the heart of the St Thomas’ Hospital campus and currently houses cardiology services, two intensive care units, and admission wards. Apart from that the building also features clinical suites and offices, teaching facilities, and ancillary plant and storage areas.

The ISG and Hopkins team are working closely with Arup, the design and engineering consultancy, which is managing the structural, MEP, façade, fire and acoustic engineering services for the project.