Located in a pivotal position close to Cambridge railway station and the city’s historic centre, CB1 Residential forms part of the wider CB1 masterplan which will regenerate 9.9 hectares of brownfield land.
Designed for Skanska Residential the project provides 137 one-four bedroom flexible apartments with a provision for 40% affordable homes. The 3-6 storey blocks frame strategic views within the masterplan and contribute to a new urban sequence leading to the station frontage.
The architectural language includes an articulated 2 storey base, a simple ‘gault’ brick middle section and a lofty upper attic storey. The corners to the principal street frontage are marked by a composition of recessed balconies and corner windows. Entrances include perforated ‘terracotta’ screen walls and provide glimpsed views into central green courtyards.
The southern building facades have been designed to protect from excessive solar gain with balconies on this frontage including perforated metal hoods and vertical screens to provide shading to living spaces.
Residential entrances to Great Northern Road – now a principle approach to Station Square – were designed in collaboration with the artist Jacqueline Poncelet who designed a series oof geometric tiled panels which make a contemporary reference to the colourful heraldic motifs and mouldings at the many historic college entrances in Cambridge.
The project was built by Hills Residential with executive architects PCKO.
