Project Information:

This project aims to reinvigorate a part of Cambridge’s industrial heritage and to protect it for the future by making it a vibrant, modern working environment.

The Old Swiss Laundry site boasts a historic asset to Cherry Hinton Road whilst the new interventions provide examples of quality industrial style design in a central area of Cambridge. The scheme creates the same kind of value and activity seen in areas like Milton Science Park and CB1 in this well-connected area that is central to many other businesses and so provides benefits to the wider area. The existing buildings define the layout of the site and create a principal ‘street’ off Cherry Hinton Road. This street is anchored at the Cherry Hinton Road end by the strong monopitch roof forms and the Unit 1 café which will be publicly accessible. The units which are accessed directly from this street are arranged to address it and provide activity along the street frontage.

The energy strategy is based around the reduction of energy consumption through the thermal upgrading of the existing built fabric, addition of new glazing and the installation of efficient lighting, heating and ventilation systems. Where natural ventilation is available, manual openable windows will be retained.