Maggie’s Leeds Centre

Location / Harehills, United Kingdom

Architects / Heatherwick Studio

Year / 2020

Maggie’s Centre is a charity that provides free practical and emotional support for people with cancer. The 462 sq metre centre, located within the campus of St. James’s University Hospital in Leeds, is the charity's 26th centre in the UK and the first completed healthcare project designed by the studio.

Drawing upon the philosophy of Maggie's and the belief that great design can help people feel better, Maggie's Leeds uses several 'healthy' materials and energy-saving techniques. The building's structure is built from a prefabricated and sustainably-sourced spruce timber system. Porous materials such as lime plaster help to maintain the internal humidity of the naturally- ventilated building, which has been achieved through careful consideration of the building's form and orientation.