The aim of a Maggie's Centre is to provide an environment of practical and
emotional support for people with cancer, their families and friends. Since the opening of the first Maggie's Centre in Edinburgh in 1996, the Maggie's
Cancer Caring Centres foundation has grown substantially, commissioning
and developing a series of innovative buildings designed by world class
architects. While contemporary architecture has a reputation, deservedly or
not, for being at times cold or alienating, the goal of each Maggie's Centre –
whether in Glasgow, London, or Hong Kong – is to provide a space where
people feel at home and cared for, a space that is warm, receptive, and
welcoming.
Maggie's Centres rely on the fundamental precept, often overlooked, that
exceptional architecture and innovative spaces can make people feel better – thereby kindling the curiosity and imagination fundamental to feeling alive.
Grand in their ambitions, but designed on a small scale, Maggie's Centres
provide a welcome respite from typical institutional hospital architecture.
Their spaces are more than merely functional; they serve as a haven for
those receiving treatment. In creating a place to connect and learn from
others who are going through similar experiences, Maggie's Centres help
patients to develop their sense of confidence and resourcefulness.