S I Sealy designing Maggie’s Centre, Manchester

We are providing the detailed building services design for this project which the world renowned architect, Lord Norman Foster is designing.  This Maggie’s Centre is at The Christie, a global leader in cancer treatment and research.

There are already 17 Maggie’s Centres throughout the UK.  Each ones has been designed by a leading architect, each offering a different interpretation of the brief to provide a clam environment for someone living with cancer.

Built in the grounds of The Christie, the building will be a single storey, natural timber structure focused around a wide, central spine with the roof rising in the centre to create a mezzanine level.  Exposed lightweight beams and timber lattice support the roof whilst also defining different spaces.  An integrated glass house extends from the south of the building, providing a space for people to gather and enjoy the outdoors.  The building services brief is for natural light and ventilation, allowing visitors to feel close to their surroundings.

The kitchen table is the welcoming heart of the Centre, providing somewhere to meet other people, to talk with cancer support specialists or sit quietly.  There will be a library, meeting rooms and quiet rooms.

To complement the building design, the surrounding gardens are designed by landscape designer, Dan Pearson, combining the working glass house, to bright clusters of flowers and tranquil water features.  To the south of the Centre, there will be a pool and moving water, to provide a calm space for reflection.  Deep canopies will shelter the Centre’s open terraces from rain, allowing people to enjoy fresh air and the garden no matter the weather.