Velindre Cancer Centre Wales, Cardiff radiotherapy facility development, new Welsh hospital architecture
Velindre Cancer Centre Building, Cardiff, Wales
3 April 2024
Design: White Arkitekter
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
images courtesy of architects
Velindre Cancer Centre achieves financial close
The ACORN consortium, led by Kajima, the pan-European property investor, developer, and asset manager alongside Sacyr, Abrdn and the Development Bank of Wales has achieved financial close for the new Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff, Wales. Velindre Cancer Centre is being developed in compliance with the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and set to become one of the most sustainable hospitals in the UK.
The new hospital is part of Velindre University NHS Trust’s Transforming Cancer Services in South East Wales Programme. It will provide patients and carers with high-quality and sustainable services, delivering the most effective treatments while also leading national and international education, research, and innovation in cancer patient care.
The funding group includes Aviva Investors, Siemens, Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Bank, CaixaBank, Norinchukin, Nomura and Nord/LB.
Sacyr UK has been appointed as the main contractor, and the construction process will start in April. The Cancer Centre is due to open in April 2027.
The scheme, which targets BREEAM ‘Excellent’, is designed to be all-electric, supporting low energy demand and low operational carbon. A strategy is in place to reduce site waste through off-site manufacture of components to minimise transportation and create efficiencies in the construction and maintenance of the hospital.
The design, led by White Arkitekter, has been developed to ensure minimum impact on the site. The landscape strategy aims to retain existing habitats and creating new habitats alongside new landscape spaces, such as an orchard with Welsh apple varieties and a community kitchen garden. The scheme also seeks to create informal play areas and a multitude of walking, cycling and relaxation areas.
Richard Coe, Project Director, Kajima Partnerships, commented:“It is fantastic to achieve Financial Close on this exemplary new hospital, and we look forward to seeing the building take shape during the construction period. The project represents a paradigm shift in sustainable healthcare, providing cutting-edge facilities and treatment in a building that has been designed with sustainable material innovation, community inclusion and a commitment to preserving the environment at its forefront.”
The ACORN consortium was appointed following a public procurement process run by Velindre University NHS Trust, and includes Sacyr, Abrdn, Kier Facilities Services, White Arkitekter, Socotec, Hydrock, Ingho, ICCA, MJ Medical, Turley, Studio Response, Camlins Landscape Architects, RSK, Bureau Veritas, Osborne Clarke, Operis, Howden, Mazars, Cloud Nine, Evolution Infrastructure, Addleshaw Goddard, Marsh, AECOM, Lloyds, Geldards, Pinsent Masons and Artelia.
Previously on e-architect:
16 June 2023
The new Velindre Cancer Centre named winner in the EHD Awards
Design: White Arkitekter
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
images courtesy of architects practice
Velindre Cancer Centre Building Award
The new Velindre Cancer Centre won the Future Healthcare Design category in the European Healthcare Design (EHD) Awards. The EHD Awards are one of the most prestigious international architecture awards in healthcare architecture and recognise professional and research excellence in the design of healthcare environments around the world.
The winners of the EHD Awards were announced yesterday at the EHD Congress in London. The awards recognise healthcare environments that promote health and wellness, embed quality improvement and support the delivery of treatment and care in an accessible, sustainable and equitable way.
– Together with the NHS and our partners we want to create a healthcare environment for the future that supports the mental and physical wellbeing of both patients and families, while also offering a state-of-the-art workplace for staff, says Michael Woodford, Director London Studio, White Arkitekter.
The new Velindre Cancer Centre is being developed by The ACORN consortium with White Arkitekter as Lead Designer. With high sustainability goals, the building is designed to maximise the use of local natural materials with low carbon footprints that promote health and well-being. The use of materials such as wood, and lime and clay plasters that are breathable and flexible create a natural and calming environment for patients, families and staff.
– The new Velindre Cancer Centre represents a major step forward for healthcare design in the UK. With a focus on low carbon materials combined with the aim of preserving the surrounding landscape as wild as possible, we are designing a healthcare facility where the environment supports and complements the medical treatment of patients, says Michael Wooford, Director London Studio, White Arkitekter.
The new Velindre Cancer Centre will be carefully integrated into the Welsh landscape with respect for flora, fauna and ecology. At the same time, new spaces in the landscape such as the orchard and community kitchen garden are planned to support healthy habits. By designing informal playgrounds and a variety of walking, cycling and relaxation areas, play and movement in nature is encouraged.
The Acorn consortium, the new Velindre Cancer Centre
The consortium was appointed following a public procurement process run by Velindre University NHS Trust, and includes Kajima Partnerships, Sacyr, Abrdn, Andrew Scott, Kier Facilities Services, White Arkitekter, MJ Medical, Turley, Studio Response, Camlins Landscape Architects, Osborne Clarke, Operis, Confab Lab, Hydrock, Socotec and Ingho FM.
Arthroplasty Clinic, Bromma Hospital highly commended
In addition to the new Velindre Cancer Centre, White Arkitekter also had one more healthcare project nomineted that was highly commended in the Design for Adaption and Transformation category, Arthroplasty Clinic, Bromma Hospital. In March 2020 Vectura acquired Bromma Hospital with the vision of revitalising a technically obsolete healthcare building into a vibrant centre for health and care.
Two years later, the new premises were inaugurated and through a focus on reuse, the older building has been brought to life. The project is an example of how an obsolete building can be reused and developed with a new-build quality. Thanks to the new centre, Bromma Hospital has developed a state-of-the-art operating environment for hip and knee replacement surgery. In the project White Arkitekter has collaborated with Ledplastikcentrum, Vectura.
Founded by Sidney White in 1951, White Arkitekter is Scandinavia’s leading architectural practice. We work with sustainable architecture, urban design, landscape, and interiors to create lasting value for current and future generations. We are an employee-owned collective of about 700 employees with a presence in Sweden, Norway, UK, Germany, Canada, and East Africa.
As architects, we have a responsibility to take action against climate change and by 2030, we aim for all our projects will be climate neutral. To that end, we have strengthened research and design skills that focus on timber technologies.
Our Roadmap 2030 sets out White’s direction for how it will contribute to the transition required in society to achieve national and international climate goals, as well as our own. From relocating the Arctic city of Kiruna two miles east, to empowering women at Panzi Hospital, we put people, planet, and local economies at the forefront of design.
Previously on e-architect:
20 Mar 2023
Architecture: White Arkitekter
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
Velindre Cancer Centre, Wales
Proposals for the Velindre Cancer Centre UK’s most sustainable hospital reaches key planning milestone
The ACORN consortium, led by developer and investor Kajima with lead designers White Arkitekter, has secured the green light for the reserved matters associated with the 2017 outline planning permission for the new Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff and unveiled new images of the facility. Plans were approved by Cardiff Council’s planning committee on 16 March 2023.
The proposals for the UK’s greenest hospital are for a highly sustainable, elegant new cancer centre for patients, staff and the local community. The design will be integrated into a natural setting respecting the existing ecological habitats and landscape features. The new facility will promote excellence in cancer services and support international research and development.
Velindre Cancer Centre is being developed to comply with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 and become the most sustainable hospital in the UK.
The design utilises low embodied carbon, bio-based materials that support a circular economy and promote health and wellbeing. Timber and other natural materials such as lime and clay renders, which are breathable, flexible, and anti-fungal, will deliver a natural calming environment for staff, patients, and their families/visitors.
The scheme will be all electric to supporting low energy demand and low operational carbon. A strategy is in place to reduce site waste through off-site manufacture of components, minimise transportation and create greater efficiencies in the construction and maintenance of the hospital.
Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS) systems will be integrated that focus on ‘roof to river’ with no plastic in the ground, a swale network and retention pond which form attractive amenity areas for everyone to enjoy.
The façade design, based on a standard grid, will enable internal spaces to be easily reconfigured without the need for costly structural alterations – allowing the building to respond to space requirements of future innovation in treatment and equipment.
Importantly, the design has been developed to ensure minimum impact on the site. The landscape strategy aims to keep the site as wild as possible by retaining existing habitats and creating new habitats alongside new landscape spaces such as an orchard with Welsh apple varieties, and a community kitchen garden. The scheme also seeks to create informal play areas and a multitude of walking, cycling and relaxation areas.
Michael Woodford, Partner at White Arkitekter, added: “Securing planning consent for this exemplary new hospital is excellent news – not only will it provide cutting-edge facilities, but in a wholly sustainable manner. White is proud to be creating spaces that support the fantastic work of the NHS, and we look forward to bringing the scheme to life in close collaboration with the Trust, consortium and local community over the coming years.”
A community benefits offer will also see many jobs created, apprentices trained, school pupils engaged, substantial community initiatives and engagement over the course of the scheme’s development. ACORN will establish the IMPACT Community Benefits Delivery Plan that is described by five key headings:
1. Futures: invest in skills and employment to enable local communities to achieve their potential.
2. Thrive: contribute to the wellbeing of South Wales communities and their environments, promoting good health and environmental sustainability.
3. Prosper: promote SME and social business engagement, investing in local communities through our supply chain.
4. Embrace: foster inclusion and promote equality and diversity across the workforce and local communities.
5. Think: establish mechanisms that support collaborative learning to ensure, as a partnership, we build on what works.
Additional community benefits proposed include a Carbon Literacy Training Programme, employment of a Ranger, Grow and Prosper Social Business Programme, Social Business Makers Market, and a Tool Library.
The Acorn consortium was the successful participant following the conclusion of a robust procurement process run by Velindre University NHS Trust. The consortium includes Sacyr UK as the main contractor, Abrdn, Kier Facilities Services, White Arkitekter, BAC, Hydrock, Ingho, MJ Medical, Turley, Studio Response, Camlins Landscape Architects, RSK, Osborne Clarke, Operis and CloudNine.
Architecture: White Arkitekter – https://whitearkitekter.com/
Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff, Wales images / information received 140322 from White Arkitekter
Location: Cardiff, Wales, UK
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