The Cam Foundry

Solution

With demand for student accommodation in Cambridge growing, tp bennett was asked to design a 270-bed scheme on the city’s Mill Road. In a sensitive residential location, the practice decided to respond to the townscape, designing four buildings arranged around a landscaped courtyard, akin to a garden square or college ‘quad’. Slate pitched roofs and brick were used in its construction, to remain in keeping with the area.

The Cam Foundry has a variety of accommodation types, including town houses with shared spaces and between eight and 12 student rooms: part of a growing trend towards the provision of sociable student accommodation, which helps foster cohesion and good mental health. A well-known glass artist, Kirsty Brooks, has designed the entrance glazing drawing on local history and enhancing the public realm.