Maggie's Centre wins Civic Trust Award

RSHP's Maggie's Centre, London has won a Civic Trust Award. The team was presented with a trophy at a dinner held at the Emirates Stadium, London on 18 March 2009 
 
The judge's said of the scheme 'The first Maggie’s Centre in England, this scheme is located at Charing Cross hospital and provides support, information and a place to relax for cancer patients. Internal spaces are well planned and perfectly detailed, with a mixture of open spaces and individual rooms. The building is naturally ventilated, and includes internal and roof gardens; each room opens onto an internal garden space. The use of materials is exciting and robust, and provides a relaxing, non institutional facility. Landscaping is particularly important in this scheme, given the relatively harsh physical nature of the surrounding urban environment. This building is a unique response to a complex, bustling city street. It is an open house, protected from its immediate environment, a welcoming, inspirational refuge for its visitors.'
 
Launched in 1959, the Civic Trust Awards is one of the oldest built environment award schemes in Europe. From cafes and churches to housing and hospitals, the Civic Trust has rewarded over 5,600 buildings which have made a difference to local people and their communities by providing the design and facilities which have made better places for people.  The Civic Trust Awards are unique. They recognise the best in the built environment, from architecture to planning, townscape to infrastructure – but they are about so much more than this. They recognise the public realm in its wider context, and our continuing belief that development should be for the benefit of people – those who use it, and those who just pass by
 
For further information please visit www.civictrustawards.org.uk