Opened in 2016, the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre (SWC) for Neural Circuits and Behaviour at UCL brings together leading neuroscientists to explore how the brain drives thought and action. Designed by Ritchie Studio, the building was conceived ‘from the inside out’ – shaped through close dialogue with researchers to encourage collaboration and spontaneous exchange.

In 2024, SWC extended that same curiosity beyond its walls. The Howland Street façade was transformed into a public learning experience through five interactive vitrines – each posing a fundamental question about the brain: What is intelligence? How do you learn? Why do you sleep? How do you make decisions? The last, What happens here?, offers a glimpse into the pioneering neuroscience that takes place inside the building every day.

Created by our long-time collaborators Clay Interactive, the vitrines combine looping attractor visuals with responsive technology to draw people in. Using distance sensors, the displays react to movement and gesture, triggering dynamic visual effects without physical contact.

Because all hardware needed to sit behind thick, double-glazed glass, this installation demanded precise technical problem-solving. Sysco worked closely with the content and software teams to identify and integrate sensors and cameras capable of performing reliably through the façade. Multiple rounds of off-site and on-site testing ensured a smooth, intuitive interaction for every passer-by.

By resolving the physical and digital challenges, the team brought the neuroscience within SWC to life for the public – turning a research building into an interactive window on the mind.

Through this partnership, Sysco helped transform curiosity into experience – proving how carefully engineered technology can make complex science engaging, human, and alive on the street.