Co-founded by garden designer Maggie and her husband Charles Jencks, an architecture critic, Maggie’s is a charitable initiative that was set up in 1995. The vision of the philanthropic couple was to create a cancer care centre; a safe and warm space where people affected by the disease can access emotional and psychological support, in an uplifting environment.
The first centre was set up in Edinburgh, and more Maggie’s Centres have been built since. The latest addition to the network is the Leeds location, and like its predecessors the motivation behind the centre is altruistic, with a view to creating a calm space for sufferers and their families.
Heatherwick Studio was appointed as the architect and interior designer for the Leeds site, while renowned lighting designers Light Bureau were also invited to join the project team. Their approach was to emphasise the tranquil atmosphere by placing warm lighting in niches which hold plants, pictures, books and other household items. This made the objects the priority, not the lighting.
In line with Light Bureau’s core philosophy, every luminaire has to be justified, and therefore serve multiple purposes. As part of the design, solutions from the FX portfolio with an opal cover were used in several areas, including shelf lighting which accentuated objects and arts, while introducing vertical luminance and elevating the roof eaves. Each shelf was custom made to length, to suit the various spaces available, so the lighting needed to match this, which is made possible thanks to the flexibility and versatility of the FX range.
FX solutions were also used for door uplights, as well as the kitchen counter. Elsewhere in the centre, FX provides a wash onto the ceiling, with a diffuse cover and adjustable brackets to meet the needs of the space.
It is considered a badge of honour in the architectural community to be invited to be part of the project team for a Maggie’s Centre. Architectural FX is very humbled to have been involved in such an important and worthy project.
Design Team : Heatherwick Studio
Landscape Architect : Balston Agius
Lighting Designers : Light Bureau
Photography : Hufton+Crow
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Products Used in This Project
