Dunne is delighted to confirm that they have been awarded the contract as Main Contractor to build the new Maggie’s Centre at Gartnavel Hospital in Glasgow which will be built close to the new oncology department, The Beatson, helping to provide nearby support for thousands of cancer patients who visit the hospital each year. The centre will cater to a population of about two million people and Glasgow will be the first city to benefit from a second Maggie's Centre.

The network of care centres, which began in Edinburgh in 1996 were launched to provide uplifting and comforting places to care for cancer victims and their families, typically situated close to treatment hospitals and designed by some of the world's leading architects. Pritzker Prize-winning architect Rem Koolhaas of OMA has designed Maggie's Gartnavel.

Works commenced in mid September this year on site with tree removal and site clearance works completed by end of week two and excavations for reduce dig to building footprint were then carried out. The basement excavation was then undertaken and the base concrete slab was cast by the end of week three.

The basement concrete was constructed with a Caltite admixture for water proofing purposes and the basement walls were cast in situ using Peri Vario formwork. This system was required due to the board layout design and the specified Type C finish to the walls.

Mechanical and electrical services were cast into the basement walls so that all fixtures and fittings are flush mounted within the concrete itself and nothing is protruding or surface fixed. This is required throughout the building within the upper ground floor walls and the main roof soffit. As the building is a series of linked rooms at different levels the ground floor structural slab was cast in four separate concrete pours. Formwork for the subsequent concrete pours to the upper ground floor walls are currently being constructed with a target to have these completed by late December with the main roof soffit work due to commence mid December.

Maggie’s Gartnavel is set to open in Autumn 2011 and will work in tandem with Maggie’s Glasgow (Western Infirmary) to provide emotional and practical support to people in the region living with cancer. Ms Sturgeon said: “Cancer is a top priority for the Scottish Government and Maggie’s is an important partner for us. They play a vital role in helping support patients and their families both at the time of a cancer diagnosis then during and after treatment.”

Our own Managing Director, Gordon Dunne, said: “We are very proud of our involvement on this very important project to build an intimate and supportive domestic centre which will have a positive and helpful impact on the people of Glasgow living with cancer.”