An uplifting building with a feeling of light and space

Since 1981 Arthur Rank Hospice has provided free services to people in Cambridgeshire living with a life-limiting illness and those who need end-of-life care. After more than 30 years on its site at Mill Road in Cambridge, however, the charity knew it needed a new building. While much loved, the original facility was no longer fit for purpose, and opportunities to develop on the existing site were limited. This need was driven by the fact that staff now care for more than 3,600 patients each year across the Hospice in Cambridge, the Alan Hudson Day Treatment Centre in Wisbech, and in patients’ own homes, via the Arthur Rank Community Team. 

Next steps

A building that could support the Charity’s multi-disciplinary team approach to end-of-life care was always going to be expensive. Building upon reserves of around £4 million, fundraising actively began in 2013; £10.5 million would be needed for the project, in addition to the £8 million required annually to deliver daily care. In November 2013 the Charity found a new site at Shelford Bottom, Cambridge, and was granted planning permission in December 2014. When it came to designing the building, the Charity was looking for an architect which shared its values and ambitions for the project. After a competitive tendering process, LSI Architects, a leading architecture practice in the healthcare sector, was appointed. LSI’s team is used to working on projects that feel like home, for people who have wide range of needs, including those who may require medical intervention: some of its previous projects include the award-winning Louise Hamilton Centre in Gorleston, and work at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge, and Guy’s Hospital and St Thomas’ Hospital in London.