UCL, PEARL at The University College London

Bond Bryan was entrusted to bring UCL’s pioneering P.E.A.R.L. Building to life in Dagenham, East London. Collaborating with UCL, Bond Bryan refined and executed the original concept by Penoyre and Prasad Architects.

This groundbreaking facility enables the creation of life-sized environments to study how individuals interact with infrastructure and urban spaces, aiming to enhance urban design for greater accessibility and sustainability. Its flexible research and collaborative spaces also serve as a model for innovative, post-COVID work practices.

For UCL, P.E.A.R.L. serves as a transformative facility where researchers can study people’s interactions within built environments. The design supports UCL’s ambition to pioneer urban planning and development research, giving researchers, artists, and the public a platform to explore and understand environmental and social behaviours in a controlled space.

By meticulously coordinating and optimising each building element, Bond Bryan ensured that UCL’s high sustainability and technical requirements were met, securing a facility that is efficient, adaptable, and set to endure for decades.

The Building invites the community into an innovative space that tests and explores ideas shaping future urban spaces. Its design includes a pop-up theatre, allowing the public to engage in UCL’s work directly and experience experimental urban scenarios.

This integration of research and community engagement positions P.E.A.R.L. as a resource for Dagenham, showcasing the potential of collaborative planning and environmental design to inspire a sustainable and interactive urban future for East London and beyond.

Key features include a highly insulated, airtight envelope, minimising heating and cooling needs. Energy efficiency is enhanced through tested details to reduce cold bridging, air source heat pumps, and extensive photovoltaic panels that provide onsite energy, achieving an A+ energy rating.

The building is even set to become carbon negative by exporting surplus energy, marking an important step forward in sustainable architecture and supporting UCL’s ambitious environmental goals.