Local students’ artworks have been unveiled on the hoardings around the Pears Building construction site next to the Royal Free Hospital.

The new Pears Building will house the UCL Institute of Immunity and Transplantation (IIT). It will be one of only five clinical research centres of its kind in the world, developing better treatments for cancer, diabetes, HIV and hepatitis and failing immune systems in older people. It will also improve transplantation by placing world class university research alongside the specialist NHS services at the Royal Free Hospital.

A 70 metre long section of graphic panels around the site tells the story of the research that will go on in the building. It includes illustrations created by local students from Fleet Primary School and the Royal Free Hospital Children’s School. The aim is to inform the public about the new centre while encouraging young people’s interest in research.

Professor Hans Stauss, director of the IIT, said: “We were amazed when we saw the quality of the art produced by the students. Their images add a huge amount to the hoardings. We plan to develop our links with local schools - it would be wonderful to inspire some future scientists with our research.”

Another section of the graphic panels features illustrations of views in and around Hampstead created by local artist Oliver Yu Chan.

Work on the Pears Building started in April 2018 and is expected to be complete by October 2020. The design, by Hopkins Architects, is in keeping with other buildings in Rosslyn Hill and will provide 6,000 square metres of space for 200 UCL research scientists.  It will include accommodation for patients being treated at the hospital who do not need a hospital bed.

The project is a collaboration between the Royal Free Charity, UCL, the Pears Foundation and the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust.