The Board of Trustees who were managing the 25-year old hospice decided to expand their patient-care reach and extend their services into training and research.  

As palliative care is still at an early stage of development, the approach to improve it in the future had to include education, training and research. The KIPCER Centre which was born out of this earnestness had to accommodate an Outpatient Department to aid the Hospice care. This is a social project envisioned and implemented by a group of highly dedicated and committed people with funds raised through donors.

A 100-seater auditorium, 3 classrooms, Guest room accommodations, Canteen and a Charity shop were part of the requirements in addition to the office spaces.

The project located in the existing Hospice campus, occupies around 2 acres of the 5 acre property. This land upon which quite a few trees existed was surrounded by internal roads on all 4 sides. The design intent was to preserve all the existing trees. As a result the built envelope weaves around the existing trees.

The buildings are arranged in a north-south direction and are accessed from the west. The treatment rooms and service areas are located on the eastern side.  Based on the existing arrangement of trees, the largest open area has been allotted to the Institute and Auditorium.

The OPD which has an entry from the Hospice side is designed as a compact one-floor block around a small pool. The central waiting area opening onto the water body and the greenery on the other side linked all the facilities of the OPD. The Canteen is built as an open pavilion adjacent to a reflective pool.   

The training centre facilities are grouped around a central area which has the open spaces, amphitheater and the waiting lobbies. These transition spaces seamlessly flow from one to another function. The spaces double up as multifunctional and informal spaces for interaction, catering to the needs of the classrooms and Auditorium. While the amphitheater works as an informal classroom, the double height sky-lit lobby is used as a pre-function area for the Auditorium as well as a breakout area for the classrooms. A large painting on the wall of this lobby becomes a focal point of this entire voluminous area.

Light as an element enhances the spaces in different forms. The play of shadows in the double height atrium and the diffused light in the mango/neem tree courts bring in variations of light enhancing the quality of the spaces.

Locally available Grey granite stone is used on the walls in a rough form. Entire colour palette in the common areas is grey and white tone. Inside the auditorium a bit of beige and light brown shades are introduced to bring in a warm feel.

Transition spaces flowing from one to another, modulation allowing free flow of air, numerous interaction spaces, porosity woven into the built structure, effectively connecting the indoor and the outdoor are the main features of the project.