Although highly sought after, a city-centre location can throw up some interesting challenges when it comes to expanding a building’s footprint. This can be even more complex in places such as Cambridge, where noise-sensitive neighbours and historical architecture also have to be taken into consideration.

So what are the options when your property is landlocked on all sides?

One of the best solutions is demonstrated by King's College School. It is situated right in the centre of Cambridge, surrounded by existing buildings and neighbouring land owned by the university’s library. When the 500-year-old school required a new indoor sports facility, a new dance studio, larger changing facilities and a 700-seat auditorium, the key was to create a genuine multi-use space. Not only would it be robust enough for team sports such as cricket and hockey, it would also have the acoustic qualities and aesthetics required to stage the school’s world renowned choir.

In a city such as Cambridge, which is covered by large conservation areas, the solution for creating new space has been upward intensification. The school’s new facility now sits across two storeys with the multicultural hall on the first floor and changing facilities and dance studios below, essentially making the most of its tight city-centre footprint.

This phenomenon is not unique to Cambridge schools: other sectors are also undertaking intensification in order to make the most of what little land is available. For instance, in a number of densely populated cities around the world the logistics sector is now building upwards to create multi-storey warehousing in order to cater for demand. At the same time, mixed-use schemes have also become common place with residential on top of anything from retail to leisure or even, in some cases, light industrial.

So, as many of Cambridge’s old institutions modernise, the key will be to find ways to incorporate new facilities into existing buildings. What’s more with very little land within the city centre to grow, the use of clever design and truly multi-functional spaces will be essential moving forward.

Further information

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