client’s sustained support and investment, but getting this pioneering design for an NHS building onto site.


Healthcare planning context Over recent years, cancer diagnosis has increased as the research has improved, also revealing new types of cancers. While treatments have improved greatly, it’s estimated the numbers of people living with cancer in the UK will pass 4 million by 2030. At the same time, life expectancy following a diagnosis is far better in 2024, thanks to the range of treatments available, but this all means that there is a need for more facilities.


While there is a view that cancer facilities should be specialist centres which house the expensive high-technology treatments, but patients remain in the community, The Velindre Cancer Centre is slightly different. It is a long-standing cancer treatment unit founded in 1947 at the birth of the NHS, but requiring a significant upgrade in provision to meet


ADF OCTOBER 2024


demand. The building contains several linear accelerators, and replacing this tech in a new facility was just part of the challenge facing the project team. Michael Woodford, project lead & director of the London Studio of White Arkiteker explains that the Strategic Outline Case for this project arrived at the conclusion that refurbishing and adding to the existing facility in a traditional piecemeal NHS fashion was not the preferred solution. Land adjacent to Whitchurch Hospital belonging to the Cardiff and Vale Community Health Board and located half a mile away, was identified as the location for a new facility. “They used to keep horses there and grow food for this beautiful Victorian psychiatric hospital.”


The tender process was fruitful for the architects, says Woodford, being a “competitive dialogue” between the design team and client, “a very lengthy and robust process responding to the brief.” He explains further: “You’re actually co-


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There are contrasting arguments that such natural materials can offer key benefits for cancer patients in particular


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