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The square next to New Cross station in London doesn’t feel like the usual setting for a health centre, and that’s precisely the idea.
This mixed-use space, the Waldron, combines a healthcare building with retail space and housing, integrating the various elements into a single civic space. The aim was to change people’s perception of a healthcare setting, and bring a bit more humanity to it.
The main building has two overlapping north/south wings, separated by a five-storey foyer which also houses a piece of art work. It incorporates daylight and views to stop the building feeling like a medical labyrinth, while still maintaining the intimacy needed in a clinical setting. Lacquered timber elevations, reminiscent of 18th century furniture or musical instruments, add warmth.
The Waldron lies at the end of a local pedestrian thoroughfare, and opens up a diagonal route to the station. Medical facilities are so often isolated from other spaces: here, healthcare is placed at the heart of the community.
"A high-class example of today’s community health centres."