Several years after the death of author and landscape artist Maggie Keswick, Great Britain has ten Cancer Caring Centres named after her, designed pro bono by architects of international fame. Together with her husband, architectural historian Charles Jencks, Maggie had in fact managed to convince architect Frank Gehry to work on a common project – though it’s not always possible to engage the professional skills of “starchitects”. Indeed, we “ordinary mortal” architects – when offered the privilege to deal with senior healthcare and retirement facilities – must be acutely aware of the need for our work to generate physical and mental wellbeing, and positive emotions. Facilities for senior healthcare and assistance are often anonymous “non-places”, inducing a sense of estrangement. We firmly believe that, though fundamental, technology should not interfere with or preclude the facilities’ proficiency, either aesthetically or functionally. Our studio was given the opportunity to design the reception and socialising spaces within the Casa di Cura Dott. Pederzoli healthcare centre in Peschiera del Garda. During this project our main focus was on ensuring that the halls, reception areas, waiting rooms, and bar, would provide oases of wellbeing within the healthcare facilities. In operating our various choices we remained as attentive to detail and to personal touches as we do when designing private homes. In line with this philosophy, and particularly with regard to the retirement home, our Customer requested that the rooms be conceived in the manner of hotel rooms, but complete with hospital-style equipment, such as lifters, medical gas devices, spaces and furnishings for the disabled. This is when we met the challenge, researching materials that would conform not only with the aesthetics of contemporary furniture trends but also with healthcare laws in force. Our careful selection of materials and colours, and our conception and design of the furnishings, produced an end result appreciated by the staff, by the patients, and by their companions, who need an oasis of wellbeing and tranquillity while remaining close to their loved ones.
