Construction has started on a 251 bed student housing scheme for McLaren Property Group designed by architects Stride Treglown. Working in conjunction with McClaren Property, architects from Stride Treglown’s London office developed the design for Brunswick House, which forms three sides of a landscaped courtyard abutting the new Brunswick Riverside residential development in central Cambridge. Situated at the junction of Newmarket Road and Elizabeth Way close to the River Cam and Midsummer Common, the project has been designed to complement the adjoining private housing and to reflect traditional college architecture by incorporating gatehouses to the north and south entrances. The elevations are constituted of buff brick typical of Cambridge’s architecture, inset panels of natural oak boards, and the top storey is clad in anodised metal cladding to provide a subtle contrast. Top 15 UK architectural practice Stride Treglown has designed and delivered over 14,000 student bedrooms in the past four years and has developed unrivalled expertise in the use of volumetric modular construction. Working together with specialists Unite Modular Solutions (UMS), the scheme has been developed to be 99% modular in its construction with bedrooms, kitchens, staircases, and lift shafts manufactured off site. Ray Williamson, Divisional Director at Stride Treglown’s London office said; “We’re delighted to see our first building in Cambridge rising out of the ground and to add this project to our extensive portfolio of student and residential projects. This prominent site deserves exemplar design and we are confident that this scheme will make a positive contribution to the visual character of the city.” Stuart Black, Development Manager at McLaren Property, added; “This is the first of a number of student development projects for McLaren Property across prominent university towns in the UK. Cambridge is a key target within our portfolio, and this scheme will offer very high quality living accommodation for the students”. The building is due for completion in August 2012 by contractor McLaren Construction who is part of the McLaren group.
