We’re working on two dual-purpose, 4-storey buildings in Cambridge as part of a major mixed-use masterplan bringing new homes, workspaces, retail and more to the Cambridge North area. Together forming one of two sites Make is designing for the masterplan, 1 and 3 Station Row will deliver sustainable, adaptable and future-proofed laboratory and commercial space to meet the demand for labs and life science buildings in the area.
The site is located next to the newly finished Cambridge North Station and Novotel on the northern fringe of Cambridge. We’ve articulated the buildings’ massing both vertically and horizontally, creating a rhythm of terraced blocks along the railway boundary. Green terraces and facades featuring brick and metal gradually taper the edge of the buildings in line with the city’s edge. We’ve integrated the MEP plant into the overall composition of the buildings by screening them behind a continuation of the facades. And by setting the buildings back, we’re activating the site with pedestrian routes and public amenity along the railway line.
We’ve placed louvres in the recesses to maximise flexibility in the floorplates, allowing for a 50:50 ratio of lab to office and write-up space. We're targeting BREEAM ‘Outstanding’, with an all-electric system, PV panels, smart energy and water meters, a biodiverse roof, rainwater recycling, and provision for electric vehicle and bike charging. The articulated massing, along with deep reveals and inset entrance points, maximises natural shading and high thermal performance.
Two office/laboratory buildings in the Cambridge North masterplan