The Dyson Cancer Centre
Follow our progress
Keep up to date about our progress by following @RUHBath on Twitter and Instagram and by checking the RUH's Facebook page.
What's happening on site?
January – February 2024
Work progressed on commissioning – fitting the building out with all the furniture and equipment needed to support patients, visitors and staff. From waste bins and hand gel dispensers through to clinical kit every room and space is being fully equipped and carefully checked.
November – December 2023
Work continued on landscaping around the centre and preparing the building to welcome patients in spring. Benches, lighting and cycle racks were installed and the new paving work was completed. Once the permiter fencing is removed, patients and visitors will have easy access to the centre from the adjacent disabled car park and the main carpark.
October 2023
Work progressed on the access road to the Dyson Cancer Centre with the first tarmac section installed. Snagging got underway in some of the areas nearing completion and the steam plant system was successfully tested, a major milestone for the new centre.
September 2023
This month, the ground and first floors were almost complete. Work continued to complete the link with the main hospital building. Installation of exterior elements such as rainwater pipes made good progress and work continued on the paving that surrounds the new centre, as well as the installation of new bike shelters.
August 2023
With the cladding on the tiled façade now complete, signage was installed this month. The James Dyson Foundation provided a £4m donation towards the new centre, joining other major donors such as the Medlock Charitable Trust, Macmillan Cancer Support and thousands of donors from our local community and beyond.
July 2023
Work progressed on the tiled façade of the Dyson Cancer Centre. The specially designed ceramic tiles which clad part of the building are made of terracotta. They use a special ventilation and pressure system to ensure that no water reaches the building, helping to keep the building dry, reduce maintenance and help to save energy.
June 2023
This summer we hosted a virtual update to share progress behind the scenes on the Dyson Cancer Centre and answer any questions our community might have. Attendees were able to hear from clinicians who will be moving to the new centre as well as Macmillan Cancer Support, the team managing the project, construction partner Kier and the RUH's Art at the Heart team.
May 2023
This month saw the safe landing of Hamish Mackie's specially commissioned 'Swifts' sculpture. Designed as symbol of hope and optimism, the sculpture will form the focal point of the first floor courtyard. The art and design in the centre has been designed around a land, water and sky theme, to have a positive effect on healing and patient and staff experience.
April 2023
Work continues to clad the outside of the Dyson Cancer Centre, along with blockwork paving around the new building. The south external area and south courtyard area are nearing completion, while inside the centre, mechanical and engineering work continues along with flooring, installing sanitary ware (sinks, basins, toilets etc) and tiling the Atrium floor.
March 2023
Work begins on the terracotta feature tiling on the outside of the centre. Inside the centre, within chemotherapy, floor finishes are progressing well and most doors are now in place. The link between the centre and the second floor of the main RUH building is now complete. Elsewhere in the centre toilets and sinks are being fitted.
February 2023
Scaffold removal continues this month, with more and more of the centre now becoming visible. Creating a framework for the exterior is well underway, this is in preparation for installation of the terracotta tiles that will clad the outside. Inside the centre, mechanical and electrical fixing continues, along with other work such as dry lining, plastering, painting and starting to fix stair skirtings and handrails.
January 2023
Heading into the new year the RUH marked a successful year of construction, as the centre remains on track to open for patients at the end of 2023. Over 900 people have worked on the site to date, with more set to join in the coming months as work focuses on removing the remaining scaffolding from the exterior and fitting out the interior of the centre.
December 2022
This month the project reached another milestone, as the team began to remove scaffolding from the front face of the building. Glass installation in the atrium is complete so the three-storey structure is now visible to passers-by.
The atrium will provide the main entrance for patients and visitors to the Dyson Cancer Centre. The Macmillan Wellbeing Hub will also be accessible from the main entrance - providing information, support and holistic care for patients and their loved ones as well as space for education, support groups and respite.
November 2022
Installation of glass windows and doors continues, along with preparation for the installation of special glass glazing in the huge atrium space. The dramatic atrium space will be light and airy and will provide a warm welcome to patients, visitors and staff.
October 2022
Work is progressing well on the internal fit out of the new centre, with rendering, mechanical and electrical installation, roof installation, internal partitioning, plastering, first fixes and roof finishings underway on different parts of the centre. The centre remains on track to open for patients in autumn 2023, despite challenges with resource shortages over the summer.
September 2022
Artist Hamish Mackie has been busy making the armature for a sculpture that will feature in a first floor courtyard of the Dyson Cancer Centre. An armature is a framework around which a sculpture is built, when a sculpture cannot stand by itself. The final sculpture of two swifts in flight will be cast into bronze and mounted on a plinth.
Hamish is an internationally renowned wildlife sculptor and one of the finest sculptors of artworks in the country. This artwork has been made possible through a kind donation from a local individual and we are very grateful.
August 2022
This month we waved goodbye to Crane Austen as it's time on the construction site came to an end. The 40m crane was something of a local landmark as it carefully moved materials and lifted structures into place. With the three storey frame complete the crane was dismantled and removed, marking a significant milestone in the project.
The focus now shifts to the interior of the building, as partitions continue to go in and plastering continues. Staff who will be relocating to the centre next year continued to have behind the scenes tours, to start familiarising themselves with the new building.
July 2022
This month saw a very special milestone as we marked one year since breaking ground on the Dyson Cancer Centre. To celebrate we offered a sneak peek behind the hoardings.
Different parts of the centre are at different stages of completion. Work continued on partitioning the interior spaces with plastering starting in some areas and mechanical and electrical systems installation underway. On the ground floor of the oncology area the first fix wall build is nearly complete and work is underway on the first and second floors.
June 2022
With the structure now complete, the team are busy on waterproofing and cladding the structure. Rendering is underway on some parts of the building.
The link back into the main hospital building has been made, this was a really tricky piece of construction. Air conditioning units are in place on the roof. The atrium space is starting to emerge - this will be a welcoming three storey light filled space that will greet patients and visitors as they enter the centre.
May 2022
It's been another busy month and construction remains on track. With the steel frames in place in the chemotherapy block, work is now progressing on installing internal partitions, as well as the first fix for mechanical and electrical fittings.
After many months of planning the Art at the Heart team have been finalising details around the interior design for the centre, as well as the artworks and installations that will feature in and around the building.
April 2022
We started 'behind the hoardings' tours this month, so that staff who will be moving into the Centre next year can see how the Centre is progressing and get a feel for the new space. Now the concrete frame is complete work is starting on partitioning the interior spaces starting with the Chemotherapy suite.
The main stair case which will lead from the main atrium has been cast and installed and work is in progress to install the radiotherapy decking.
March 2022
We reached a major milestone as the Dyson Cancer Centre hit its highest point of construction. We celebrated with a small 'Topping Out' ceremony on site. RUH Chair Alison Ryan and RUH Oncology and Haematology Matron Caroline Gilleece travelled to the top of the new three storey Centre by crane, for a ceremonial laying of the final piece of concrete on the roof. The frame of the three story building is now complete.
We held a drop in session so that staff who will be relocating to the centre next year were able to meet with the interior designer. Staff were able to look at the latest plans and provide feed back on everything from room colours to wall coverings to floor finishes.
February 2022
Progress continued, with the completion of the second floor slab for Oncology and work starting on the Chemotherapy roof slab. As storm Eunice swept through the South West of England on 18 February the site was made secure and the majority of work on the Dyson Cancer Centre site was temporarily paused.
The site sustained no major damage and was back up and running once it was safe to do so. Work continued on progressing an interior design concepts and an artwork strategy.
January 2022
The first floor slabs have been laid and work is in progress to prepare for laying the second floor slabs.
December 2021
The frame of the building is beginning to emerge from behind the hoardings. The first floor slabs are being poured for what will become the staff office area. A temporary deck has been built for the first floor areas above the main atrium - this will be part of the Macmillan Wellbeing Hub and the inpatient ward.
November 2021
Work continues to progress on schedule. Drainage works were completed and work began on the reinforced concrete frame, starting with laying the concrete floor slabs.Although the building is barely out of the ground, the project team are also busy on starting to develop the interior design for the building. This will include working alongside staff and patients, and will included details around the look and feel of wards and public spaces, as well as any art works and design features.
October 2021
Groundworks continue and work is progressing well and is on schedule. Work has begun on pouring the concrete ground slabs. At the end of the month, our new tower crane arrived on site as we prepare for the next phase of construction. The crane will remain on site until summer 2023.
September 2021
Groundworks continue, including underpinning Radiotherapy, continuing the foundations for chemotherapy and progressing with the stair foundations and lift pit.A base for the tower crane is under construction - the crane is due on site in October 2021.
August 2021
Groundworks phase is underway - that's all the work beneath the surface, such as foundations, trenches, laying pipes and cables. It's all been meticulously planned, and everything has to happen in a precise order.