MEG Unit, University of Oxford
One of the UK's first purpose-built Magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanner units was designed by Nightingale Associates for the Department of Psychiatry at Oxford University.
Sunny, airy and welcoming the building is designed with sensitivity towards patients with special needs. It also places an emphasis on a positive experience, reflected in the selection of warm, natural internal minerals, furniture and finishes Skylights in the roof create a sense of space while maximising natural light into spaces filled with research equipment.
One of the major challenges for the new MEG facility was the high sensitivity of the scanner to potential interference from environmental sources producing electromagnetic and radio frequency vibration. Consequently, the facility is housed in a single storey building on a magnetically ‘quiet’ site, as well as taking into account a maximum distance between the scanner and building services plant.
The exterior of the building reflects the aim of creating a modern yet sustainable facility. The use of timber cladding, coloured render and flat roofs results in an inviting aesthetic while the external landscaping provides a garden to the waiting area.
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