The Key to Successful Design Management: Lessons from Oriel

Designing and delivering a healthcare and research centre like Oriel, a joint initiative between Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Charity, demands more than just technical expertise. A project of this scale requires a meticulous, data-driven approach to design management, a culture of collaboration and the ability to deal with complex design processes with transparency.

1. Engaging early and often

From the outset, the Oriel team knew that establishing a common understanding was vital.

Ian Barnes, Technical Director at exi, agrees: “At the very start, we set up collaboration workshops… that gave the transparency between all involved. We’re like-minded individuals with a common goal, a proactive approach, and willing to talk and listen to one another.”

This foundation enabled the team to anticipate challenges, define clear routes for communication and escalation, and maintain strong alignment with the client and end users throughout.

2. Managing complexity with precision and data

With over 13,000 documents issued to date, the scale and technical demands of Oriel, encompassing healthcare spaces, specialist laboratories, and this vast volume of documentation, presented unique design challenges.

“Oriel is a specifically complex project,” said Catherine. “There’s technical complexity, but also a volume complexity… That’s why we established a master information delivery plan linked to the programme.”

To manage this, the team implemented rigorous technical review processes, quality assurance measures, and real-time data analytics. This helped track progress, flag risks early, and ensure compliance across the board.

“We commenced the process with a robust technical review,” said Ian, “this included trackers to provide that extra layer of quality assurance through the project.”

3. Collaboration at the Core

Perhaps the most crucial ingredient in successful design management at Oriel is the strength of the collaboration and the relationships behind this.

This collaborative spirit extended across the entire team; from subcontractors designing highly specialised packages, to clinical and technical end users from UCL and Moorfields Eye Hospital and Moorfields Eye Charity. Representatives from Moorfields Eye Hospital and the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology chaired user groups to work on specific areas of the centre; making sure patients, staff and students were involved in the design process.

“All the meetings, the steering groups,” Ian said, “help tease out any emerging technical issues… It’s helped define the need for change.”

Ian added, “We’ve got a good route for communications and escalation, as well as excellent leadership from Bouygues UK, and Catherine in particular.”

The Power of Collaboration, Design and Data

For Bouygues UK, Oriel is a clear example of how precision design, deep collaboration and intelligent data management come together to solve some of the toughest design challenges in construction. By aligning early with all stakeholders, embracing transparent workflows, and embedding data-led decision making from the outset, Bouygues UK and our partners are mitigating risks, ensuring high quality design and delivering a shared vision for the future of eye-care.

With the building now taking shape on site, the results speak for themselves and Ian and Catherine’s pride in their collective achievement shines through.

“What I’m the most excited about is actually to see it coming to life,” said Catherine. “This is somehow the conclusion of my work. It’s when it gets built.”

For Ian, he is looking forward to “handing over an exemplary building, an exemplary project which will benefit patient outcomes and provide a cutting-edge laboratory research facility for years to come.”