The UCH MacMillan Cancer Centre is part of the largest biomedical campus in Europe. A patient-focussed centre for cancer care, it was conceived as a one-stop location for the diagnosis, treatment and care management of cancers, and designed to create as human and non-institutionalised environment as possible.

Understanding the ‘patient journey’ was critical to the design of the internal spaces and the way in which treatment is delivered, integrating it as normally as possible into everyday life. The building thus allows patients to receive their treatment in whatever manner they prefer and in whatever location they feel most comfortable, breaking down institutional barriers found in similar facilities throughout the nation. The design of the building intentionally features public, communal and private spaces to accommodate a range of uses and preferences.

Through the clever and efficient organisation of interior spaces, a feeling of spatial generosity permeates throughout the building. Most notably in a naturally-lit and stacking atria with live trees, a café, meeting points and seating areas that serve as public and orientation spaces within the building and around which all interior spaces are organised. Above these is an open public roof garden offering dramatic views over central London and a protected outdoor space for patient and visitor use.

Located on a very tight urban site with strict height restrictions, the building comprises a bronze-alloy prefabricated façade with a concrete frame. Highly flexible internal layouts allow for future modification and reorganisation.

The Macmillan Cancer Centre was one of the first large hospital projects to be assessed under BREEAM and achieved a rating of excellent, the highest at the time.