IVF Unit
The transformation of existing hospital space into a state-of-the-art IVF facility, designed for both NHS and private clients — blending advanced clinical functionality with a calming, patient-friendly environment.
| Sector | Healthcare |
|---|---|
| Cost | £764K |
| Role | Concept Designer, Project Manager, Interior Designer, Arts Coordinator |
the brief
Create a bespoke IVF facility, including consulting rooms, procedure spaces, patient recovery areas, and a dedicated laboratory with ‘clean room’ air quality — all compliant with HFEA licensing requirements.
what studio mode did
We were appointed as concept designer, project manager, interior designer and arts co-ordinator. We worked closely with the Fertility team to develop costed concept plans to support business case approval, and then produced GA plans for client sign-off.
We then took on the PM role, working alongside the hospital’s P21 contractor to develop the detailed design. This involved chairing design team meetings and constant liaison with users, the estates team, and Infection Prevention leads. A deep understanding of both patient journey and lab process was key throughout.
During construction, we acted as client-side PM, managing the works on site through to completion, handover and occupation. We also designed a warm, rich and calming interior, and sourced and co-ordinated the installation of all artwork.
Delivered on time and within budget. The users are delighted, the hospital’s happy… and most importantly, the HFEA granted the unit its licence.
anything else?
Yes – we also designed a bright, colourful and uplifting interior. Floor patterns and light chutes were used to intuitively indicate the transition between patient and ‘staff only’ zones—without relying on physical barriers that typically restrict efficient movement between waiting rooms, mammography rooms and processing areas.
Our understanding of the department’s workflow and movement patterns allowed us to design a layout that was both highly efficient and visually welcoming.
“We now have an amazingly beautiful fertility unit with a state of the art IVF laboratory and theatre suite. Our aim was to produce a space that felt similar to a spa in terms of design, but with all the practical features of a modern clinic in a hospital setting. Feedback from patients and visitors has been resoundingly positive that the space feels warm, secure and clean. Staff are very happy with the result.”
any tricky bits?
Plenty. The laboratory had to be VOC-free—no small ask. The air handling plant to serve this environment was located two floors away on the opposite side of the building, requiring careful negotiation with adjacent live wards to route the ductwork.
In addition, the lab equipment itself needed close coordination with the building infrastructure—think industrial gas supplies, specialist alarms, oxygen depletion systems and more. It took clear control, detailed coordination, and a lot of liaison—but we’re good at the complex ones.