A Halo Model
The mission: to consolidate 30 separate sites into one of the largest pathology laboratories in Europe
At a Glance
- How do you turn a 1970s office block in central London into a huge, state-of-the-art laboratory capable of housing the latest equipment?
- Two of the minds behind the Halo share the story behind a laboratory designed to consolidate 30 separate sites into one central building
- From ceiling height considerations to obtaining custom software, the project was a huge undertaking, spanning several years
- With plans to process more than 20 million samples every year, the finished structure will bring together the latest tech and a host of different specialties
How does a laboratory go from being just an idea to a functioning reality? Health Services Laboratories (HSL) – a partnership between the Doctors Laboratory, the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust and University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – conceived the idea of consolidating over 30 individual sites into one brand new, state-of-the-art pathology laboratory. Fast forward two years and the building, dubbed “The Halo,” is nearly complete.
We spoke to Tim Herriman, Group Laboratory Director at HSL, who worked on the Halo concept, and to Paul Sharp, a member of the construction company who helped make it a reality.
