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The Healing Potential of Architectural Glass

 

This past summer, the City of London Planning and Transportation Committee passed a resolution to grant planning and listed building consent for a new Maggie’s Centre (a charity which provides practical, emotional and social support for individuals with cancer) at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. The design for this new center has been developed over the past several years by renowned architect Steven Holl. I love Holl’s work and, as such, have enjoyed following his plans for this project as they unfold.

In a nutshell, Holl has conceived what he calls “a vessel within a vessel within a vessel.” A “basket-like” bamboo interior will be surrounded by a concrete supporting structure, which in turn will be surrounded by a matte white glass case. This outer layer will be peppered with “notes” of colored glass, recalling an abstract neume notation (the system used for Medieval music of the 13th century). According to Holl, the design was inspired by “the deep history of the area, and particularly the nearby St. Bartholomew the Great church which has been in continuous use with marvelous music since 1143. In the spirit of music, architecture can be a vessel of transcendence.” The colored glass will cast a gentle wash of vibrant light into the hospital, ever-shifting with the days and seasons.

 

 

Talk about a rejuvenating atmosphere; there’s no doubt in my mind that inviting environments like this one contribute to the healing process. It’s something I’ve contemplate as I create architectural glass installations for spaces like Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital in Boston and the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville.

You can learn more about Holl’s concept for Maggie’s Center in this elegant video; and for other thoughts around the healing potential of architectural glass, check out my series on creating the project for Spaulding and this previous post on Spencer Finch’s work at the John Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore.