We are delighted that our designs to refurbish and extend the former University sports pavilion on the Darwin Green site in Cambridge have now been submitted for planning permission.

Our client has great aspirations for the building, which we aim to transform into a “kindercafe” – a café specially designed with children and families in mind.

The building is in a very poor way having been left empty since 2006, but we love the challenge of rescuing old buildings, especially those that are loved by the local community.

It will be a dramatic transformation to safeguard the building for future generations and a key part of that is long-term sustainability in an uncertain future. To that end, we are aspiring to meet the gold-standard of “Enerphit” energy performance (the Passivhaus standard for retrofit). This will involve substantially increasing insulation, airtightness and providing renewable on-site energy generation to minimise our future energy burden.

The proposal have been featured in local and national press

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/cambridge-news/vandalised-pavilion-become-caf-cambridge-30907036?int_source=nba

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce8jqljv498o