The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the architect selected to design the inaugural Fleming Centre.

Architectural firm Stanton Williams has been chosen to design the Fleming Initiative’s landmark Centre, a research and public engagement facility to be built on the canal-side at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London.

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.

It will provide a space to bring together researchers, policymakers, clinicians, behavioral experts, commercial partners and the public to combine their shared networks, expertise and skills in the fight against AMR. It will also be part of a global network of centres in strategic locations around the world that will catalyse worldwide action.

Stanton Williams’ concept design embraced the heritage of its proposed location on the site of The Bays - former industrial warehouses, dating back to around 1850, that were originally used for transport and distribution before being incorporated into St Mary’s hospital in 1983.

The concept design proposed features such as renewable energy systems, including a water-source heat pump and photovoltaic panels, biodiverse landscaping and a low-carbon structure. The ground floor design offers views into laboratories and curated exhibition spaces, key to public engagement.

Stanton Williams will now begin work on a detailed design to be submitted for consultation and planning approval.

The Fleming Centre will be the first new building in the planned full redevelopment of St Mary’s Hospital, part of the government’s New Hospital Programme, and will be a key part of the Paddington Life Sciences development and Imperial WestTech Corridor vision. It is due to open in 2028, marking 100 years since the discovery of penicillin at St Mary’s by Sir Alexander Fleming.

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.”

Imperial President Hugh Brady said: "The Fleming Centre will bring together Imperial’s world-leading researchers with diverse UK and international partners, including from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, policy community and civil society to tackle the challenge of AMR head-on. The new building will also be a key part of the Paddington Life Sciences development and Imperial WestTech Corridor vision. We are excited to be one step closer to starting the transformative work it will enable us to do.”

Professor Tim Orchard, Chief executive of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “This is an exciting milestone for the Fleming Centre and the wider redevelopment of St Mary’s Hospital site. The Stanton Williams design concept gave the panel great confidence that the building they design will honour Sir Alexander Fleming’s legacy and the birthplace of penicillin but it also captures our shared aspiration to create a world-class facility that will drive innovation in tackling antimicrobial resistance through groundbreaking research and public engagement creating a modern and welcoming space for patients, staff, and visitors alike.”