Completed in late 2014, the Kathleen Kilgour Centre is a three-storey building with a total area of 3,000m2 and an overall site area of a compact 1,000m2. The $34m radiotherapy treatment facility is expected to provide annually for 500-600 patients with local cancer-treatment options. The emphasis has been on creating a patient-centered facility that is easy to access and navigate, psychologically calm and welcoming. The client requested that the building be substantially powered from a renewable energy source therefore a large solar array was incorporated into the design. At the southern end is an easily discernible translucent ‘box’, which at night becomes a glowing beacon for the centre.

Buildings for healthcare are amongst the most urgent, rewarding and technically challenging design tasks for an architect. Medical environments can often be intimidating and unsettling for patients. When designing this facility we gave great consideration to the technical aspects of the project, but utmost in our minds was the introduction of measures that might improve the experience for those that use it.