Maggie's Centre for Cancer Therapy

American University of Sharjah, College of Architecture, art and Design, Sharjah

Project idea

The Maggie's Centres are a modern archetypal hybrid that exist in relation and proximity to a hospital and offer emotional support to those suffering from or affected by cancer. They are homely but open to everyone; public and private places where, in Maggie Jencks' (1941-1995) words, people should not 'lose the joy of living in the fear of dying'.

The project looks at how calm and uplifting architectural spaces can become an emotional respite and even alter the internal psychological status in individuals. We looked at how that specifically applies to the convalescence of cancer patients and how factors such as access to daylight, immersing in nature, and reduced levels of noise aid in this process. Delving deeper, atmospheres that arouse the healing of self at the individual level were visualized. A patient has one mind, one body and one spirit and the goal of this project was to make sure to take care of those elements in every patient and design architecture that is kind during their moments of growth, healing and transformation.

The organization of programs into the mind, body and spirit were an important aspect of the design process. Therapy related program was placed under mind, physical healing activities under body, and meditational pursuit under spirit. The building organizational strategy arose from the need to create atmospheric healing environments that accommodate such activities that respond to those mental and physical planes.

Project description

Thus, the project consists of three volumes: mind, body, and spirit, with a primary spine volume that houses shared programs connecting them. The spirit volume was elevated to create a sense of transcendence and subtractions from the mind and body created gardens for outdoor activities. There are 4 different gardens where patients can connect with nature; a playground and activity garden next to the mind, and a sensory and planting garden next to the body, beneath the spirit. To address issues of privacy, the more private spaces were pushed to the edges of the volumes leaving fluid spaces in between that open up to one another; where patients can circulate through as they would in a home rather than having corridors that they associate with hospitals.

The landscape consists of grass and planted gardens, a body of water for heat island mitigation and concrete paving to facilitate the ease of movement by wheelchair. The response to the landscape is one where the building embraces the surrounding landscape so that patients in nature feel embraced by the Maggie’s Centre. Moreover, views from the interior spaces are inwardly focused towards the gardens for added privacy and reduced disruption.

Technical information

Every volume has a different material treatment to cater to the programs. In the mind, rammed earth walls and a timber canopy are employed, in the body, double glazed glass and timber louvers, and in the spirit multi-layered concrete walls can be seen. The timber canopy and louvers filter light and add privacy to the creative therapies on the first floor.

The sustainable strategies employed are passive cooling through the timber louver system, cross air ventilation through the use of pivot doors on both floors, and a grey water reuse system that takes used water and uses it to irrigate the garden. The body of water on the west facade helps with heat island mitigation through evaporative cooling and also acts as a noise absorption device. Local plants to the UAE were used in the gardens. And lastly, biodegradable materials like timber and rammed earth were employed.