Supporting Girton College from the architectural competition stage, we have guided the project through early design development and towards a future planning application. Drawing on our proven track record of delivering complex, high-profile projects for Cambridge colleges, our approach is grounded in early, open collaboration, aligning the College’s ambitions with deliverability, quality and long-term value. Through structured coordination, robust governance and clear stakeholder engagement, we are helping to build clarity and momentum as the design evolves, ensuring proposals remain ambitious while responding carefully to budget and programme considerations.
The emerging design responds sensitively to its wider context, including Green Belt planning considerations and a constrained site environment. Ground conditions, mature tree protection zones and proximity to major road infrastructure have informed both design development and delivery strategy. A staged approach supports cost control and decision-making aligned with fundraising milestones. Together, these measures help maintain programme certainty in a complex and evolving construction market.
Sustainability is central to the design approach. Targeting both Passivhaus and the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, the scheme adopts a strong fabric-first strategy supported by low-carbon materials and an all-electric energy approach. The landscaped courts are designed to deliver social and environmental value, integrating wetlands, swales and biodiversity corridors to enhance ecology and wellbeing. Water efficiency measures, including rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling, further support long-term climate resilience.
The project also represents the first phase of Girton College’s wider estate-wide decarbonisation strategy. The scope includes the delivery of a new centralised energy centre, providing low-carbon heat via air source heat pumps to serve the new courts and, over time, the wider College estate as fabric upgrades are implemented. This phased approach supports Girton’s long-term ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2048.
Upon completion, the new courts will represent a major step-change for the College estate, increasing residential capacity while enriching everyday life through high-quality accommodation, shared social and academic spaces, and generous landscaped settings. Anchored by a new auditorium, the development will create a vibrant focal point for Girton College, supporting community, culture and learning for generations to come.
