Maggies Cancer Caring Center | Snøhetta

Architecture, Health Care, Health care buildings, Hospital

Maggies Cancer Caring Center

Located on the Southern boundary of Forester Hill Hospital, Maggie’s Cancer Care Center is a free standing Pavilion at the edge of the Westburn field. Nestling in a row of trees, the Center enjoys views across the fields and amples sunlight from the south and west. Maggie’s Cancer Caring Center is not a treatment center, but also a place where individuals can meet, connect and receive help and guidance. The Maggie’s foundation was founded seventeen years ago to provide emotional and practical support to anyone affected by cancer. There are a number of centers throughout the UK and one international center in Hong Kong.The soft exterior form envelops the whole of the center and sculpts the main spaces, while the timber interior creates more intimate rooms and spaces that the Center requires.

“In a world of architectural commercialism, it has been the most meaningful task to seek employment with spaces, materials and landscapes in the service of psychological and emotional healing processes”, said Snøhetta’s Kjetil Thorsen.

photography by © Philip Vile

The most important landscape component is the grass covered fields within which the Center sits. A group of Beech trees mark the main entrance by contrasting the color and texture of the existing trees on site. The texture and cutting pattern of grasses was developed to form a large pattern within which the pavilion building forms an integral part. The courtyard garden at the heart of the Center forms a secluded outdoor space and is covered with a mix of hard and soft surfaces.

photography by © Philip Vile

Most visitors to Maggie’s have received a cancer diagnosis which has left them in shock and often unable to digest anything their doctors said to them after the word ‘cancer’. Architecture plays an important role at Maggie’s such as evoking curiosity and drawing visitors inside and then helping them feel relaxed and at home. By being interesting yet calm, the buildings allow visitors to feel less anxious and shocked, more open and able to take in new information and make good contact with others. This allows visitors an opportunity to begin to consider their future options and opportunities for information and support through Maggie’s. Also, Maggie’s Centers support health professionals by providing positive environments within which to welcome and console, inform, listen and be alongside those living with cancer.