Devonshire Road

Regeneration of City Centre Former Goods Yard

43 new homes and new Travis Perkins Depot

The Brief

Grafik Architecture were commissioned to consider redevelopment options to provide much needed new homes and retain a facility for Travis Perkins, who currently own and occupy the site. The site is bounded by Devonshire Road, Mill Road and the railway, which was the main design constraint in terms of noise attenuation. Another major influence is the adjacent Conservation Area, and the need to integrate the proposals with the local context.

In response to the local context and constraints, the residential scheme provides an urban edge in sympathy with Devonshire Road, set back behind a formal boulevard of native trees and forming a “gateway” to the development.

The inner part of the scheme is arranged around a landscaped Public Open Space and consists of a linear apartment building along the railway boundary of single aspect dwellings above undercroft parking as a noise attenuation buffer and the enclosure formed with groups of houses and couch houses with undercroft parking. At the heart of the scheme is the Public Open Space, a blend hard and soft landscape, mature trees and Home Zone philosophy to minimise the impact of vehicles on the space.

Accommodation ranges from 1 and 2 bedroom apartments to 2 and 3 bedroom houses,  providing both open market and affordable homes in this highly sustainable location.

Grafik have worked closely with Explore Living to develop an innovative modular building system resulting off-site fabrication of very energy efficient units and minimising time on site. The architecture is clean and contemporary whilst still observing the scale and proportions of the buildings around the site.

Grafik Architecture were pleased receive a green light from the Cambridge City Council’s Design & Conversation panel, when presenting the above proposals. Prior to the council’s formal decision each project is reviewed by the Cambridge City Council.

The scheme was finally approved in 2013.