29 August 2026

In ‘The Architecture of Hope’, Charles Jencks illustrates the different plans for the assorted Maggie’s Centres which have been specially built around the country. They were inspired by his wife, Maggie, who suffered from a terminal cancer.

The architectural plans have interesting names – pinwheel, pinwheel spiral, central spiral, central doughnut, centric blob, spiral arms. All of these have a sense of circular movement about them. The pinwheel turns, the spiral spins, the doughnut has a circle at its centre.

Maggie Jencks wanted to create ‘a friendly convivial atmosphere with food and drink offered as you come in the door.’ It is a philosophy which they called ‘kitchenism’. Unlike the hospital or the clinic, this was more like a home than a medical centre although lots of information is available there.

At the heart of the Maggie’s Centre is the kitchen table and a cup of tea. It is a homely environment where people can gather together around the table and share their stories, concerns, hopes and fears and find ways to make life worth living.

Maggie Jencks had a very hopeful philosophy of life.  ‘One should not lose the joy of living in the fear of dying.’ The centres provide information, education, psychological support and a pleasant and striking environment with art and a garden, clear glass, nooks and crannies and unique architectural features.

The centrality of the table is inspiring. It lay at the heart of our forebears’ thinking. They declared that instead of an altar we should gather together around an ordinary table to break bread and share wine. This was a homely image, centred on Christ’s sacrifice of love in a place which we sometimes call the House of God.