The Ark, Noah's Ark Children's Hospice

The Ark launched in 2019 as a new highly-sustainable facility for Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, specifically designed to support children with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions and their families, and is the first new hospice building in London for 10 years. The Ark allows the charity to increase the scale and quality of their work, who previously provided care for children and their families in homes or hired halls. The brief sought an inspiring space for palliative care, relaxation and adventure within a ‘home from home’ environment, as an evolution of the approach taken with Maggie’s Centres or Teenage Cancer Trust HUBs to design a centre specifically for the needs of children. Situated within a 7.5-acre nature reserve, The Ark is discreetly carved into the hillside and offers a holistic indoor-outdoor care journey not restricted to treatment rooms but which begins upon arrival, expands through the building and continues to the therapeutic gardens, demonstrating the ultimate link between palliative care, wellbeing and nature. Conceived as square-shaped, with landscaped gardens eroding each side, the concept evolved to sculpt a butterfly plan – the symbol of the children’s hospice movement depicting a brief but beautiful life. A double-height oak framed entrance hall, glazed at each end, creates a light, striking open volume as an uplifting space for families to socialise. Four brick-clad wings that lead off the central hall provide space for therapies, children’s bedrooms, family rooms and administration, respectively. At the lower ground level, private functions include bereavement suites, a multi-faith room and staff facilities. Each room has a link with the landscape via large windows, doors and openable timber panels, creating a domestic rather than medicalised environment. Bedrooms have poster boards and desks to personalise them, and family rooms cater for the cultural diversity of families in the area - including adjoining rooms to allow for separation of genders, and PIR lighting for Jewish families during Sabbath. Special care was taken to ensure that mobility equipment and children’s beds can access virtually all spaces, including large south-facing external terraces and gardens, encouraging them to engage in activities. Inbuilt hoists create a fully-accessible environment. Understanding the stress that clinical environments can cause, the landscape was designed to provide a safe, restorative outdoor setting where children and families can find respite and comfort. The Ark is the first time a bio-solar green roof, with 185 photovoltaic panels has been used in the UK, generating significant electricity for the building. Harvesting all rainfall via a surface drainage system, the green roof mitigates flooding risk on the sloping site and reuses water within the landscape irrigation system. The Ark was achieved through a unique collaboration between the design, property and construction sectors coming together to support the ‘Building the Ark’ appeal. Collaborators were involved from concept and fundraising through to planning and delivery, working on either a pro bono or non-profit basis.