Premier Construction

Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice

Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice
Written by Roma Publications

Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice – Building a New Hospice for Glasgow

The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice in Glasgow has raised £21 million to build a brand new, purpose built hospice.

As they have outgrown their much-loved building in Carlton Place and it no longer meets the requirements or vision for the future care of patients and their families, the hospice have decided to move to a leafy green site in the city’s Bellahouston Park.

The new location in Bellahouston Park, which was gifted to the hospice by Glasgow City Council, ensures that all of the senses contribute to enhancing patient care, including sunlight, warmth and the landscape, which will support the function of the building, creating a feeling of home. The site of the build is set against a backdrop of historically traditional villas and arts and crafts cottages.  The geometry and overlapping of the villa’s arrangement creates a central, top-lit space that is a focal point for The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice’s art room and public space. At the heart of each villa is a social space which provides natural opportunities for informal meetings, conversations and quiet reflection. The protective nature of the building is realised in a veranda that runs around the whole building, providing a transition zone between the interior spaces and the surrounding landscape.

Prince & Princess of Wales

Speaking to Premier Construction about the project, Anne Hattie, Hospice Director of Operations, said: “We are moving into an area within the park so we have just less than eight acres of footprint. The building itself only takes up 8% of that. Landscaping is really important for the hospice because we see the landscaping as important as the building since research tells us that for patient’s wellbeing, enjoying nice scenery is good for them.”

The hospice aims to bring 21st century care to the people of Glasgow, which is a major step forward in the provision of palliative care services, providing them with the flexibility to develop and improve services and lower their age limit to include 16-year-old patients and their families.

The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice will also be the first hospice in the UK to follow the Sengetun model of care, which has ‘place making’ at the centre of its approach. The innovative state-of-the-art Scandinavian design puts its patients and families first and provides space for privacy, dignity and compassionate care for all ages.  It is based on research that shows the aesthetic design of a healthcare facility has measurable impact on patients’ wellbeing.

The idea is to offer patients the quality of life they deserve, in a place that looks and feels like home, and where the clinical and medical assistance sits firmly in the background.

Anne added: “The new site will give patients a lot more privacy. It is all made up of single rooms which take you out onto a garden space from one side of the room and from the other side of the room are bi fold doors, which can be opened up to a central social area. That way even though you are in your room you can be involved with what is going on inside and outside of the hospice. It is all about patient choice and giving patients the choice to control their environment.”

Patients are due to move into the new hospice in end of summer 2018.

Anne added: “It has been an extreme honour and privilege to be part of this project. There is a massive team effort behind it from the design team to the hospice team and our supporters and without them; we wouldn’t be able to achieve this wonderful environment for our patients and their families.”

Prince & Princess of Wales

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Roma Publications