Faculty of Health

Sector Education, Higher Education, Science & Research

Client The University of Sheffield

Elevating Health Research: SITraN, Faculty Of Health Phase 1, and GTIMC.

Over the past decade, Bond Bryan has partnered with the University of Sheffield to develop a vision for some of its most transformative, innovative and meaningful life sciences facilities, resulting in three major projects: the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN), the Gene Therapy Innovation and Manufacturing Centre (GTIMC), and the Faculty of Health Phase 1.

Each of these projects is rooted in a long-term strategy to support the University’s mission of advancing education and research. They are practical, thoughtfully designed spaces that help make groundbreaking work possible.

Value

Our involvement began in 2009, supporting the University with the creation of a detailed estates framework – an overarching, long-term strategy to align the University’s facilities with its teaching and research ambitions. By listening to stakeholders and navigating complex briefs, we identified development needs, asset rationalisation programmes and the creation of spaces that are not just fit-for-purpose but supportive of the University’s broader goals.

The buildings we have created aren’t just functional – they’re welcoming, inspiring and designed in a way which promotes research excellence. Natural light, flexible layouts, and shared spaces make them places people want to work in, enhancing productivity and fostering collaboration. By prioritising user needs, we ensured these facilities are as inspiring as they are effective.

“It was really a dream for me to be able to work with Bond Bryan to design the building in the optimal way. As soon as you walk into the building there’s a feel about it, that people can sense, and it really does enable them to come to work with a spring in their step, it’s a nice environment to work in. ”

Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, Director Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience

SITraN supports pioneering research into neurodegenerative diseases like Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson’s. The building integrates specialist laboratories with shared spaces to bring researchers together and strengthen Sheffield’s position as a global leader in this field.

Impact

The real impact of these buildings lies in what happens inside them. Locally, they reinforce Sheffield’s reputation as a hub for health research, creating opportunities for collaboration with hospitals, businesses, and the wider community.

Globally, the work they enable is transformative. SITraN’s research offers hope to those living with life-limiting diseases. GTIMC’s facilities push the boundaries of gene therapy, paving the way for cutting-edge treatments. The Faculty of Health Phase 1 promises to continue this legacy, encouraging interdisciplinary breakthroughs with a direct impact on patient care.

At their core, these projects reflect the trust our clients place in us in designing facilities to house the incredible work they do. They are a reminder of how thoughtful design can quietly support progress that improves lives around the world.

Faculty of Health Phase 1 (FHP1), now under construction, is designed to enhance collaboration between academics and clinicians by connecting to the Royal Hallamshire Hospital. It provides a space where research and practical healthcare work in harmony.

Sustainability

Sustainability is central to each of these projects:

Energy efficiency: The designs include energy-saving systems to reduce carbon footprints and align with the University’s Net Zero 2050 goals.
Smart design: Flexible, efficient layouts minimize waste while maximizing collaboration.
Long-term value: High-quality materials and adherence to sustainable standards ensure these facilities endure for decades.

But, perhaps more importantly, sustainability in terms of these three projects is more about overarching, longer-term estates management, than it is of any individual building features or passive design principles. By working with the University over a period of fifteen years, each of these three schemes is a direct outcome of a managed, considered roll-out of a campus investment programme.

Through this advice, we have been able to bring our unique understanding and expertise of how to maximise existing assets and floorspace utilisation, to ensure that capital spending can be directed to those areas where it will have the greatest long-term impact.

When advising our Higher Education clients on strategic expansion, rationalisation, disposal or decarbonisation, we start by working with what already exists. SITraN, GTIMC and FHP1 are all the result of a sensitive and intelligent, data-driven approach to campus intensification, informed through detailed assessment of how existing spaces are being occupied.

As a result, we were able to advise the University, with confidence, on which spending interventions and new facilities would have the greatest whole-life benefit to their organisation. In doing so, the proposals are inherently sustainable and guaranteed to contribute to the continued growth of the Faculty and University for decades to come.

GTIMC accelerates gene therapy development with its advanced labs and cleanrooms, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world treatment. It’s an important step forward for both the University and healthcare innovation.

Conclusion

At Bond Bryan, we’re proud of the part we’ve played in these transformative projects. But more than that, we’re inspired by the incredible work they enable. These buildings are about more than sustainable architecture – they’re about empowering people to make a real difference, from advancing healthcare to improving lives.

It’s a privilege to contribute to something so meaningful, and we look forward to seeing what the future holds for these remarkable spaces and the people who bring them to life.