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Beating a path to the Beatson

Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre: Glasgow Open Doors Event

Saturday 16th September 2006

Glasgow was the first city in the UK to host Open Doors Day. Organised by Glasgow Building Preservation Trust, the event forms part of European Heritage Days.

Hypostyle was involved in this year's event in two main ways: as a sponsor and as one of the practices that worked on the development of the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, one of the buildings featured in Open Doors Day. In all, more than 130 visitors viewed the new facility during the event.

Hypostyle has worked at the Beatson since April 2002, as both Architectural and Design Advisors to NHS Greater Glasgow and as Employer's Agent in the construction process.

Highlights of the building on show to the public included: the entrance area; the three courtyards with various landscape designs; the on-top-of bunker gardens; the clinic spaces; the colour palette that changes as the visitor walks through the building; and the highly impressive Friends of the Beatson RelaxStation.

Visitors were also able to appreciate the latest equipment financed by the Treasury. Because the teams involved in the Beatson development have rigorously stayed within budget, extra equipment was able to be purchased, including a Pet-CT unit with cyclotron, on-board imaging on three linacs, a new simulator, digital dictation and wi-fi compatibility in many parts of the centre.

The unit also has £5 million more in support funding from our friends - the charities - which ensures the cancer centre is more than a place of clinical and technological excellence, it is a place that welcomes people and eases the stress of cancer.

The project will be commissioned for clinical use during the months of October to December and will receive its first patients in January 2007.