Linked internal and external environments engender calmness and ease
RIAS Scottish Award winner 2021
Ryder Architecture for The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice
Contract value: £21m
GIA: 5,840m2
Cost per m2: £3,596
This is the first UK hospice to follow the innovative Scandinavian Sengetun model. It challenges conventional ward planning, putting patients and families first, to provide private, dignified and compassionate care. Linked internal and external environments engender calmness and ease. The design is mindful of patients with confusion, sensory impairments or dementia; its open communal areas create a sense of place and identity. Travel times are minimised for both patients and carers. Natural blue slate reinforces the protective nature of the building envelope, while internal timber linings give warmth. Glazing provides a surfeit of natural light, helping create an environment imbued with benign dignity.