Cambridge University
Cambridge, Great Britain
Cambridge in the south of England is famous in particular for its university. 24,500 students are currently enrolled at The University of Cambridge, which was founded in 1209. The North West Cambridge Development is a newly built university site – where the pavements and squares are now illuminated with Olivio.
The North West Cambridge Development – designed by HGP architects – is a project under the auspices of the university intended to stem increased accommodation requi-rements in the face of rising land prices in Cambridge. On former farmland on a surface area of around 150 hectares, some 3000 dwellings, 2000 student bedspaces and 100,000 m² of commercial, scientific and retail space have arisen. Included in the master plan are also a community centre, a health centre, a primary school and kindergarten, as well as a hotel and the site’s own energy centre.
The state-of-the-art university buildings, which have been built in the north-west of this collegiate university, are surrounded by spacious squares and linked by wide pavements. The light planners at BDP have opted for a lighting solution that uses Olivio Piccolo luminaires in brown, arranged on square-shaped timber columns. The use of wood – a sustainable material – in an earthy brown colour enables the luminaires to form a link between the old and new parts of Cambridge University.
architect: HGP architects
lighting designer: BDP
photographer: Tom Niven, Amphitype
