Industrial heritage meets modern innovation at the Swiss Laundry

For over a century, the rhythmic hum of commercial washing machines marked time at Swiss Laundry in the heart of Cambridge.

When PiP Architects was commissioned to transform this landmark site, the challenge was clear: how do you honour a piece of the city's industrial soul while creating a thriving modern workspace?

The 'saw tooth' front elevation of the award-winning Swiss Laundry

The Challenge

Our client, a design-driven commercial developer, sought a premium development that would command top rental rates while preserving the site's unique character. Market research revealed strong demand for Research & Development units in this central location, but the century-old site presented significant obstacles.

Once on Cambridge's outskirts, urban growth had surrounded Swiss Laundry with residential neighbourhoods. The existing buildings told a story of ad hoc construction spanning decades, as beautiful Victorian warehouses with striking chimneys stood alongside poor-quality tin sheds of varying design and quality.

Below ground, contamination from tannery pits and various industrial uses made residential development impossible. While above ground, inadequate insulation and poor energy performance meant the buildings were unfit for modern commercial use.

To make the project work financially, the floor area also needed to increase dramatically from 20,000 to 50,000 square feet, all while working within tight timescales that demanded construction begin before full planning permission could be secured.

The Design

Our design strategy balanced preservation with regeneration. The exposed brick gables and distinctive circular windows of the Victorian warehouses formed the heritage backbone of the scheme. These structures were internally supported with new steel frames that allowed mezzanine floors to be added without compromising the historic fabric.

A collapsed industrial chimney was meticulously rebuilt using salvaged bricks, while a former loading tower was transformed into a stunning glass atrium that creates the light-filled modern entrance. The front elevation features a bold 'saw tooth' form clad in zinc tiles - a contemporary interpretation of light-industrial architecture that announces the site's modern purpose while respecting its heritage.

A cohesive material palette was crucial in creating visual continuity across the diverse building forms. Natural materials like zinc and Corten steel are deployed in playful configurations with tiles contrasted by vertical standing seams, while rough red brick provides internal character and high thermal efficiency.

Working closely with our client's in-house construction team, we managed design and construction phases simultaneously. Making use of permitted development rights allowed us to make an immediate start while we worked to achieve planning permission for the later development stages.

Thoughtful landscaping was the final element to the project’s success. Working in collaboration with landscape architect Liz Lake, we transformed the site into an inward-looking campus with appealing spaces for congregation and interaction, all while minimising impact on neighbouring residential properties.

The Result

Swiss Laundry has been reborn as a vibrant Research & Development hub.

The development achieved BREEAM certification through exceptional environmental performance, incorporating air source heat pumps, efficient lighting and ventilation systems, and extensive cycle parking to encourage sustainable transport.

Internally, the buildings provide 3,000 square foot units identified through market research as the optimal balance of affordability and growth space. These versatile spaces can be combined, divided or customised to suit the individual needs of the businesses that make Swiss Laundry their home.

Swiss Laundry is a vibrant, campus-style working environment that positively impacts quality of life for resident personnel and the local neighbourhood alike.