maggie's centres: a blueprint for cancer care

maggie’s centres exhibtion at the new york school of interior design
photo © raf makda, august 2003
all images courtesy of the new york school of interior design

maggie’s centres: a blueprint for cancer care
new york school of interior design
march 7 – april 25, 2014

built on the grounds of hospitals, maggie’s cancer caring centres are designed to be warm, welcoming environments that provide practical, emotional and social support for anyone affected by cancer. the schemes were conceived by the late maggie keswick jencks, along with her husband, architecture theorist charles jencks, as a direct response to her own experience with cancer. the first maggie’s centre in edinburgh opened its doors to the public in 1996 and since then, maggie’s has grown to 17 centers across the united kingdom, with the promise of many more to follow.

the new york school of interior design will present an exhibition highlighting five of the centers in greater detail: maggie’s dundee, designed by frank gehry; maggie’s gartnavel, completed by rem koolhaas; maggie’s nottingham, by piers gough with interiors by paul smith; maggie’s west london, developed by sir richard rogers; and maggie’s barts, designed by steven holl (not yet realized).

the display explores the distinctive architectural elements of each center, illustrating the importance of sensitive patient-focused design that can contribute towards a helpful and healing environment. the clinics combine the aspects of healthcare and treatment into a single structure that is considered part hospital, part church, part museum and part home.

maggie’s dundee, by frank gehry
photo © maggie’s centres

maggie’s dundee, by frank gehry
photo © maggie’s centres

maggie’s dundee, by frank gehry
photo © maggie’s centres

maggie’s west london, by sir richard rogers
photo © nick turner

maggie’s west london, by sir richard rogers
photo © adam hollier

maggie’s nottingham, by piers gough with interiors by paul smith
photo © martine hamilton knight

maggie’s nottingham, by piers gough with interiors by paul smith
photo © martine hamilton knight

maggie’s gartnavel, by rem koolhaas
photo © nick turner

maggie’s gartnavel, by rem koolhaas
photo © nick turner

maggie’s gartnavel, by rem koolhaas
photo © nick turner