ArkleBoyce were commissioned by St Gemma’s Hospice to design the Young People’s Space in early 2020. The building is a purpose-built facility for the Young People’s Service (YPS), who provide information and support for children and young people when someone in their family is seriously ill or has died.

With the help of YPS staff, we undertook a series of workshops with some of the service’s current users; children and young adults of a range of ages. These early consultations drove the initial design thinking, both in terms of what spaces should be provided, as well as how the environment should feel. Proposals were communicated through hand drawings and sketches, with the aim of communicating the experiential qualities of the space and how it would be used for activities primarily.

The Young People’s Space is located within St Gemma’s gardens, and is surrounded by mature trees and planting. The materiality was a direct response to this context, with the form of the building carefully crafted and considered to allow the pavilion to sit harmoniously within the gardens. The glazed doors provide visual connection to the garden and open up onto external landscaped spaces.

Embodied carbon was reduced though the extensive use of timber for both structure and cladding. Glulam columns and beams sit on prefabricated timber structural insulated panels. The building is naturally ventilated, while heating and cooling are via an air source heat pump. This all-electric design is supported by on-site renewable generation via rooftop photovoltaics.