Winning design selected for Paddington’s Fleming Centre
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced that Stanton Williams has been selected to design the new Fleming Centre at Paddington.
Set to occupy the site of The Bays, the Fleming Centre is part of the wider Fleming Initiative, established jointly by Imperial College Healthcare and Imperial College London to find solutions to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) at a global scale. The announcement follows an open competition and public design exhibition held on site in November 2024.
Architects Stanton Williams’ concept design for the Fleming Centre embraces the industrial heritage of its proposed location on the site of The Bays. These former warehouses, dating back to around 1850, were originally used for transport and distribution associated with Paddington station before being incorporated into the hospital in 1983.
The design prioritises sustainability, including features such as renewable energy systems, a water-source heat pump and photovoltaic panels, alongside biodiverse landscaping and a low-carbon structure. The ground floor is designed as an open and welcoming extension of the public realm, offering views into laboratories and scientific exhibition spaces.
Professor the Lord Darzi, Executive Chair of the Fleming Initiative said: “Stanton Williams has a bold vision for the Fleming Centre and have brought our ambitions to life with a concept that reflects the Centre’s unique purpose and global significance. By providing a flexible space to unite researchers, policymakers, clinicians, behavioral experts, commercial partners and the public in the fight against antimicrobial resistance, we can ensure that the Fleming Centre becomes a global beacon for change in healthcare.”
Detailed design development will follow, with public consultation before the submission of a planning application to Westminster City Council. The Centre is due to open in 2028, marking 100 years since the discovery of penicillin at St Mary’s by Sir Alexander Fleming.
Professor Tim Orchard, Chief Executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “This is an exciting milestone for the Fleming Centre and the planned, wider redevelopment of the St Mary’s Hospital site. The Stanton Williams design concept gave the selection panel great confidence that the building they design will honour both Sir Alexander Fleming’s legacy and our aspiration for continued innovation with local and global impact.”
09.01.25
