An extension in the garden of Kemp Hospice in Kidderminster provides a peaceful, light-filled environment that uses nature to help people manage life-limiting illness and bereavement.
The therapeutic spaces are designed to give hospice users, including children and young people, a sense of privacy and also an opportunity to take part in social activities as a group.
The unit includes a complementary therapy room, a sanctuary for spiritual care, dedicated space for children and young people and a 50sq m multi-purpose room for business and recreational use which is connected to a covered outdoor garden space.
SipBuild UK supplied pre-cut Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) for walls and roofing that were assembled on site in under two weeks, making efficiencies in terms of the build project’s length and cost, and minimising disruption to Kemp Hospice services. The panels’ U-value of 0.18 w/m2 also means permanently low heating bills for the hospice.
The single-storey development, funded by a £398,000 grant from NHS England and Help the Hospice, will help meet the increasing demand for the hospice’s bereavement services for children and young people. All Kemp Hospice’s services, which cost around £940,000 a year, are provided free of charge.
The separate pavilion for children and young people on the other side of the garden provides an inspiring creative activities area, integrated storage, outdoor seating and raised planting beds. The space has its own entrance from the side of the hospice and young people were involved in its design.
The buildings are clad with western red cedar and covered with bio-diverse living roof and wall systems. ‘Sun pipes’ above the oak flooring bring natural light into the rooms.
Ground-floor rooms in the original hospice building will be used to accommodate a hairdressing salon and bathroom, which are currently on the first floor, to provide easier access.
