UK's Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre opens first overseas branch in HK
UK cancer network opens first overseas branch in HK, styling it to make patients feel at home
A British cancer network known for its centres' architecture has opened its first overseas branch in Hong Kong with a design fitted to the city's limited space and Chinese culture.
Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre Hong Kong, designed by renowned Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry, opened at Tuen Mun Hospital last week.
The centre is designed around a central living room and spacious kitchen, surrounded by several rooms, with views of gardens and water outside.
Gehry and other architects worked on the project on a pro bono basis. The centre is open to all cancer patients and their caregivers, providing free therapy, counselling and other services.
In each direction is a different kind of garden ... It is this idea of creating a lot of difference in a very small space
"When you're in the central space, you have views to many different directions. In each direction is a different kind of garden ... It is this idea of creating a lot of difference in a very small space," said London-based landscape architect Lily Jencks, 32, who worked with Gehry.
She is the daughter of Maggie Keswick Jencks, who founded the centres, and granddaughter of John Keswick, chairman of Hong Kong-based conglomerate Jardine Matheson in the 1950s.