The concept behind the design of Maggie’s Centre London is that of creating an environment that is welcoming, unthreatening, comforting and informal. The kitchen area acts as the heart of the building, which is created by the juxtaposition of surrounding courtyard winter gardens, sitting rooms and smaller, more personal caring spaces. The sense of an insular, protected environment extends through the courtyard winter gardens by use of selected vistas to the landscaped public spaces beyond. The centre is surrounded by a collection of multi-stemmed trees, which ‘wrap' the building on the two sides which face the outside world. These trees will help to filter the noise pollution from the nearby road, whilst providing an attractive view from both the inside and out.