Jenner Building Renovation, St George’s University of London
The refurbishment of this building involved the complete re-evaluation of significant research and teaching laboratories as well as workspaces at the university.
Artist Juri Nishi worked with us to develop a subtly defined surface design that could be replicated at different scales on different parts of the project’s interiors.
The artist deliberately avoided the use of direct scientific information. Instead, inspired by Edward Jenner, who pioneered the smallpox vaccine, she developed a large and versatile drawing depicting magnified interpretations of viruses ranging from HIV to malaria. This was digitally printed onto Formica laminates which have been applied to doors, glass surfaces and fixed furniture throughout the project. The results enliven the space while fully subscribing to strict NHS hygiene standards.
Inspired by spending time with the doctors inspecting different virus specimens, the design is a rich a tapestry of different viruses including smallpox, HIV, influenza and malaria seen under a microscope. Ink was the chosen medium for the design to coincide with the idea of staining used in microscopy, which highlights structures that allows our eyes to perceive the microscopic world. Juri Nishi, Artist
Gallery
Jenner Building Renovation, St George’s University of London
