PEARL is 40,000m3 of adaptable and customisable space in which we can create life-sized environments such as a high street, an urban park, a train station, a hospital ward, or a supermarket. In these we investigate with cameras, sensors and participant feedback, how people interact within that environment and how that interaction affects their physical and mental well-being, so we can learn to make environments better for society.

The simulation of physical elements engaging our senses helps us believe we are in a specific environment where we can experiment.  The lighting can mimic any time of day, sounds can match reality or expectations, and smells can be introduced. We can collect data on, for example, people's movements, eye motion, heart rate, skin responses and brain activity as people carry out tasks and move around in the space. Using these data we can then feed this into research and models into new areas of urban design.

We collaborate with a broad range of stakeholders to maximise the impact of our work. We have worked with partners such as Guide Dogs, Transport for London, Goldsmiths, Contemporary Visual Arts Network, TG0, Ramboll and many more. These projects have had different user focuses including neurodivergent school children, specific road users, visually impaired pedestrians as well as the general public.