51 Hills Road, Cambridge

Gort Scott choose Haddonstone for award winning 51 Hills Road in Cambridge

The Client

Founded by Jay Gort and Fiona Scott in 2007, Gort Scott is a leading young architectural practice renowned for working with the urban environment. Gort Scott is a RIBA chartered practice and its founding principles are to make positive, imaginative and considered contributions to the built environment.

The brief

Gort Scott won the commission to design high-quality commercial office accommodation for Jesus College at 51 Hills Road, Cambridge. Located in a conservation area, surrounded by listed buildings, Gort Scott were briefed to design a building that would serve as a lasting asset to the College, whilst making a positive contribution to the surrounding area.

The team at Gort Scott wanted to produce a design that moved away from stereotypical ‘office block’ architecture and to provide a more contemporary structure.

The solution

Although Haddonstone are normally associated with classical designs, we also have the capability to design and manufacture bespoke contemporary stonework – perfect for the innovative designs Gort Scott had created.

Gort Scott’s vision was to have a contemporary design on the fives faces of the building. For this, we had to provide elevation and component drawings for each element supplied, which resulted in nearly 100 drawings for approval prior to manufacture.

We worked closely with the architects at Gort Scott to design and manufacture the unique window surrounds for the ground and top floor windows. Our TecStone material was chosen for the project to ensure the finish was both contemporary and of high quality.

Given the size and detail of the heads and jambs, we had to incorporate structural reinforcement, lifting and restraint sockets. In addition, particular attention was given to the design and accuracy of the moulds, so that we could be sure all the items lined up precisely during the installation process.

The sequence for delivery was also crucial as the site access was restricted and there were limited storage facilities.

The results

Installed by the team at Stone Synergy, the unique design for Jesus College has received many prestigious awards including a BREEAM Excellent rating and is the ‘greenest’ office building in Cambridge.

The development at 51 Hills Road has also been awarded Best Commercial Building at the Brick Awards 2016 and both a RIBA National Award and a RIBA East Award.

Credit: All photos by David Grandorge

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