Young Person's Oncology
A new Teenage and Young Adult Unit providing a welcoming, age-appropriate space for young people with cancer — designed in close collaboration with young patients themselves.
| Sector | Healthcare, Young Adult Cancer Care |
|---|---|
| Cost | £2.4M |
| Role | Project management, concept design, interior design, stakeholder coordination, arts coordination |
the brief
Create a dedicated Teenage and Young Adult Unit (TYA) to provide a welcoming, age-appropriate environment for 16–24-year-olds living with cancer. The unit needed to include six single ensuite bedrooms, a four-bed day unit, a social space, and full support facilities — all delivered through a combination of new build and refurbishment, and entirely funded by the Teenage Cancer Trust.
what studio mode did
Studio Mode were appointed as project manager, concept architect, interior designer and arts co-ordinator for this specialist unit. We worked closely with patients, clinicians and hospital managers from day one—developing the brief, establishing the budget, and securing business case approval.
We created the concept design and GA plans for sign-off, then led the coordination of the design team alongside the hospital’s P21 partners. We developed a detailed and distinctive interior design, selected and commissioned all the artwork, and sourced every piece of furniture. We liaised throughout with the estates team and approval bodies to ensure the integrity of the design vision was upheld at every stage.
We then managed the entire 29-week construction phase—working day-to-day with the hospital’s clinical neighbours, the P21 contractor, and the wider team, through to handover and occupation. Without question, our most emotionally demanding—and rewarding—project to date.
The young people who helped design the unit were overjoyed with the result, as were the several hundred funders who visited during the open day. Teenage Cancer Trust CEO Simon Davis described the unit as “an outstanding project”—praised for its comfort, creativity, and clinical clarity.
It was officially opened by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.
anything else?
Plenty. From the very beginning, we worked closely with an extraordinary group of 16–24-year-old cancer patients. Over pizza and late-night design sessions, we explored their experiences—good and bad—listened to their needs, and tried to understand their hopes. It was fun, raw, moving, and incredibly real.
We worked hard to give them trust and respect—and made sure their voice was embedded in every element of the project. This wasn’t about token consultation—it was about handing over ownership. The end result is a direct reflection of their drive and ambition to make the environment better for others. We just helped bring it to life.
“Thank you for truly listening to us and making the ward all about ill young people feeling comfortable and special. It has been so lovely seeing how much you genuinely care about getting things exactly right for people going through the most difficult time of their lives.”
any tricky bits?
Certainly. The new build section was a cantilevered extension constructed above an existing, live hospital entrance used by pedestrians and ambulances. That meant traffic management, road closures, and constant coordination with the hospital’s Travelwise team and the adjacent National Blood Service.
The refurbished footprint sat above outpatient services (Social Services, Speech Therapy, Physiotherapy), and was bordered on two sides by busy inpatient wards—Oncology on one side, the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility on the other. Immediately above: 24/7 surgical wards, including HDU.
This was live hospital construction in its purest form. The success of the scheme relied on relentless liaison with neighbours and stakeholders, plus the tight coordination of a highly bespoke interior. Studio Mode led from the front throughout.
“You’ve listened to us all and basically read our minds to what the new ward should be like. Future patients will be amazed with what you have done.”