Transforming patient experiences: delivering Europe’s first above-ground radiotherapy unit

Creating a better experience for patients 

Linear accelerators (LINACs) for radiotherapy are typically sited in basements to shield staff and other patients from radiation. At Guy’s Cancer Centre, they are now sited above ground to allow patients to wait and prepare for radiotherapy treatments in naturally lit spaces. Our engineers used post-tensioned lattice slabs to reduce vibrations, allowing the suspended floor plates to meet stringent criteria for sensitive imaging equipment. To avoid disrupting ceiling heights, the structural team incorporated demountable shielding directly above and below the Radiotherapy level, creating reduced-height spaces in the rooms above and below which are used for services plant. 

Improving energy efficiency 

Clinical treatment spaces have intensive energy demands. By clustering them against the external plant tower and ductwork, we have radically reduced the energy consumption of the air distribution systems. In the non-clinical parts of the building, passive design has allowed the use of natural ventilation. Consulting spaces have storey-height openable façade panels to maximise buoyancy-driven natural ventilation controlled by the users. The village reception atria have automated louvre openings and exposed thermal mass. 

Dealing with a protected monument

Central London sites often bring additional challenges beyond their own design complexity. In this case, the building had to bridge over a Roman Boat buried within the silts of the old Guy’s Creek. The archaeology team required that the boat, which is listed as a protected Schedule Ancient Monument, could be excavated in the future. Monitoring was introduced to allow the tracking of preservation conditions around the boat.