Yorkshire Cancer Research is a Harrogate-based charity that has been funding research and saving lives since 1925. In early 2024, Yorkshire Cancer Research appointed Lodestone to provide feasibility advice, cost planning and early construction input for a new centre in Hull.
The vision for the centre was to create a central, welcoming space where people with or recovering from cancer can benefit from Active Together, a research-backed cancer exercise treatment service funded by the charity. The service is underpinned by well-established scientific evidence that shows exercise can increase survival, improve recovery from treatment and reduce the risk of cancer coming back. With this in mind, the charity is rolling out the service across Yorkshire.
To inform feasibility Lodestone undertook a series of site assessments across Hull to evaluate suitability, constraints, access and potential conversion requirements, working as part of the client team for over a year in preconstruction.
Following this process, Cherry Tree Court was identified as the preferred location. Lodestone was engaged on a turnkey design & build basis to deliver the scheme including fit out, furniture, and audio visual (AV) installations.
The key challenge from a design perspective was understanding and incorporating the wide ranging requirements of multiple groups of people utilising and working in the space, including people with cancer, healthcare professionals, physiotherapists, charity employees and volunteers. The space was required to accommodate office and meeting spaces, exercise studios and wellbeing support rooms. Each space had specific acoustic, privacy and spatial requirements that needed to coexist within a single accessible environment.
Lodestone, with its design team, led the process organising workshops to develop a design solution which achieved all performance and functional requirements, while also providing a comfortable and supportive environment and high quality design.