Maggie's Velindre

Simple, fast and cost-efficient, set on a barren site, this Maggie's center has all the amenities needed and connects its patients with nature from front to rear.

About this project

Conceived as a temporary building, Maggie's Velindre is expected to be in place for 10 years although the building itself might last indefinitely. It is located on a triangular shaped site in the corner of the Velindre Cancer Care Centre car park.

The building stands out from its environment with a series of angular roofs clad in rusty steel reminiscing the colour of bracken that give a strong character to the area. The strong connection to nature is visible from the onset, the silhouette mirrors the shapes of the local mountains. On entering the new Maggie's Centre, the visitor is taken on a journey from the car park through a courtyard garden, into a range of calm and contemplative spaces which focus on the stand of trees and a new landscape garden.

Inside, Douglas Fir lined walls lend warmth and softness to the place contrasted by the polished concrete floor. The Cwtch, an intimate roof-lit space, recalls the vernacular Welsh home.

The interior spaces are arranged around wooden structures with built-in storage and essential utilities. Wooden elements are used to subdivide the main spaces which are all connected.

The interim centre was delivered in just 16 months at a significantly reduced cost of the proposed budget for the permanent building.