"A metaphorical landscape of hope designed to calm,
soothe and inspire with the empowering beauty of nature".
Maggie’s Centres are the legacy of Maggie Keswick Jencks
who died of cancer in 1995. Maggie’s experience
as a patient led her to develop the idea of an
“uninstitutional home-from-home centre that would
encourage and not intimidate”. Today there are 7 centres
built (designed by by internationally recognised architects)
and running to provide emotional and practical advice for
cancer sufferers, their carers and families/friends.
In 2007 we were approached by Maggie’s to design
landscaped areas around a new centre being planned in
Cheltenham alongside the architect of the centre, Sir
Richard MacCormac, past President of RIBA.
With the knowledge that stimulating landscapes create a
‘healing environment’ in that patients feels less stress and
a greater sense of well being, the brief from Maggie’s was
clear: to create spaces that encourage a positive mind.
These spaces need to be visually exciting and of a
practical design.
Set in its urban environment, Maggie’s Cheltenham required
a landscape that provided a tranquil ambience. Inspiration
for the design comes from the mathematical tilted S-shaped
Sigmoid Curve – referred to by Charles Handy, the business
philosopher, as a visual metaphor for life and living. This
motif is used extensively throughout the landscape from
the gentle waves of the S-shaped grassed moundettes; the
sinuous curving path; to an eye-catching sigmoid steel
water sculpture by Bill Pye providing the essential ‘sound’
of a restorative garden. Smaller areas surrounding the
centre such as the Courtyard Garden are planted with
scented and colourful perennials, shrubs and climbers.