Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, Edinburgh
Our project for the first Maggie's Centre was completed in 1996. An extension was commissioned five years after and completed in 2001. A second extension was commissioned in 2014 and completed in 2020. So our involvement with the building and the organisation has therefore stretched over a quarter of a century and we are very proud of what the Maggie's Centre movement has achieved with centres all over the UK and beyond and in our own contribution at the Western General Hospital. We are the only architect who had Maggie Jencks herself as our client; her vision was for a place cancer sufferers could go to get help and solace as well as access to independent and alternative sources of advice and treatment. Activities range from single and group counselling, beauty therapy, yoga and relaxation but above all the centre is a social meeting place where experiences can be shared.
The original project was to squeeze activities into a small disused stable building at the edge of the hospital site facing north. The first extension doubled the size of the building and extended in two opposite directions simultaneously. A large subdivisible room became the main feature. The second extension provided a bigger kitchen space, a new, large meeting pavilion and more offices. The extensions (neither of which were ever envisaged in advance) have continued to keep the double height space in the centre of the original building as the centre of the larger building and ensure that there is no dedicated circulation-only space. Architecturally we have developed the extensions in the same language as the original. We also took over some unused open space to create a long garden and garden walk to the east culminating in a garden pavilion to our own design. This is shortly to be constructed.
Maggie's Cancer Caring Centres website can be found at www.maggiescentres.org
Other Details
| PHASEI | |
| Architects | Richard Murphy, Ed Hollis, Oliver Chapman |
| Engineers | David Narro Associates |
| Contractor | Peter Walker |
| Colour Consultant | Linda Green, Studio Green |
| PHASE II | |
| Architects | Richard Murphy, Matt Bremner, Ian Strakis, Claire Gaffney, Keith Ross |
| Engineers | David Narro Associates |
| Quantity Surveyor | Ross & Morton |
| Colour Consultant | Linda Green, Studio Green |
| Contractor | Reywood Construction |
| Construction Cost | <£345,000 (Total) |
| Client | Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Care Trust |
| PHASE III | |
| Architects | Richard Murphy, Darryl Roberts, Tom Hetherington |
| Engineers | David Narro Associates |
| Quantity Surveyor | CBA Chartered Quantity Surveyors |
| Landscape Architects | Emma Keswick / Rupert Golby |
| Contractor | John Dennis & Co |
| Construction Cost | <£500,000 (Total) |
| Client | Maggie Keswick Jencks Cancer Care Trust |
Awards
| 1996 | EAA Conservation Award |
| 1997 | RIBA Award |
| 1997 | RIBA Stirling Shortlist |
| 1997 | RIBA / Department of Health National Award |
Press
| 1 October 2021 | 'Miracles do happen' Camilla's words of comfort to wife of cancer patient in Edinburgh | Edinburgh Evening News |
| 30 Apr 2010 | Cutting-edge New Look For Cancer Care At Maggie's | News.scotsman.com |
| 30 Apr 2010 | An Architectural Design For Life | www.independent.co.uk - Architecture |
| March 2010 | Big Hug For The Wonderful Maggie's | News.scotsman.com |
| March 2008 | Why Are The World's Best Architects Drawn To Maggie's Centres? | The Herald Magazine |
| Mar 2008 | Maggies' Friends | The Herald Magazine |
| Nov 2006 | Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre, Fife - Does It Live Up To Expectations? | Architecture Today Number 173 |
| Sept 2001 | Handled With Care - A J Building Study | Architects' Journal |
| April / May 2001 | The Gehry Effect | Livewire |
| Feb 2001 | Somewhere To Come Home To, Building Health | Building Design |
| July 1999 | Building Humanity Back Into Hospitals | The Scotsman |
| Sept 1999 | A Vision Of The Future | Evening News |
| Dec 1998 | Building Bravery - My Favourite Building | Prospect Magazine |
| Nov 1998 | Maggies Centre Lancet City Wins Top Award - Ccc | Evening News |
| May 1998 | Maggies Centre | South East Asia Building |
| April 1998 | Maggies Centre | Scottish Fields |
| Dec 1997 | Healthy Building Syndrome | Scotland On Sunday |
| 6 Nov 1997 | Murphy Carries Scottish Hopes - Stirling Prize | Project Scotland |
| 6 Nov 1997 | Stirling Prize | Architects' Journal |
| 2 Nov 1997 | Design & Conquer - Stirling Prize | Sunday Times |
| Nov 1997 | Stirling Short List | Building Design |
| 9 Oct 1997 | Four In Race For Top Prize | Project Scotland |
| Sept 1997 | Patients Support Centre In Edinburgh | Detail Magazine |
| Mar 1997 | Dealing With Cancer In A Relaxed Way | Sunday Times |
| Mar 1997 | Comfortable Surroundings | Prospect |
| Mar 1997 | Murphy's Centre For Cancer Care | Architects' Journal |