HOSPICE DESIGN
Insulated walls, LED lighting with presence detection, and underfloor heating, all helped ‘to create a space that reduced negative impacts on the environment, while increasing the wellbeing and comfort of its visitors’.
changing shadows. Colour is integrated in the form of natural elements like trees, grass, shrubs, furniture, artwork, and the daily activity of the toddlers, teens, and adult users of the building.
Palette of colours and materials The Forget Me Not Centre boasts a calm, friendly, and welcoming environment, and through its palette of colours and the materials used, the space is full of light and warmth, allowing families to feel very relaxed and at ease. The bespoke organic- shaped table at the heart of the building offers a space for group and family activities. Quiet rooms offering tranquil spaces and privacy are provided on both floors. At the very start of the project, the FWP
team worked to specific design principles agreed with the hospice. These helped drive the project forward towards the goal of creating a special space. The principles included creating a ‘homely feel’ – a welcoming environment, with small-scale artwork on the walls, and domestic objects such as sofas, coffee tables, and floor lamps, with an absence of signage or a reception desk. Natural lighting had to be
The design team worked from the very beginning of the project to ensure a strong connection between the outside and inside space, allowing views and / or access to the external areas wherever possible.
used as much as possible, along with the creation of ‘calm, friendly places’, with the purpose of helping people find hope and aid healing. Intense interplay between the outside and inside spaces was an important aspect in the design process; visitors sheltering inside the centre and looking at the natural environment are reminded by a seasonal and changing scene outside that this is part of a living world. Another important aim was also to allow users to make choices, such as the option to select from a variety of spaces and diverse areas, encouraging them to make themselves comfortable during their time in the centre.
Strong interplay between the inside and outside The design team worked from the very beginning of the project to ensure a strong connection between the outside and inside space, allowing views and / or access to the external areas wherever possible. The result is a space that is ‘soulful and welcoming’, unlike other typical clinical environments. Two special gardens play a central and
extremely important part in the centre. They include a sensory garden providing reflective spaces where young children and teenagers can be immersed in the scents, textures, and colours, of plants and related elements. Along with specially selected plants, elements such as wind chimes and children’s art all add to that sensory experience. The garden also acts as a green buffer, softening the building’s impact on the surrounding natural setting. A second, less structured garden, with its grass and small trees, offers opportunities for children to play games and run around. The building’s small sitting rooms benefit from views towards a lightwell, and privacy issues are resolved through the use of mirrored glass. Both the gardens and lightwell are also sources of natural light that, together with rooflights and other openings, allow for plenty of natural light throughout the building.
Creativity, originality, and impact The building has been heralded as a ‘beacon of hope’ by the hospice – a place that will make a real difference to people’s lives, delivering a wide range of support for the community.
Users have the option to select from a variety of spaces and diverse areas, encouraging them to make themselves comfortable during their time in the centre.
64 Health Estate Journal October 2023
‘Intense interplay between the outside and inside spaces’ was an important aspect in the design process.
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