This competition design for Gonville and Caius College is for a new boathouse incorporating student accommodation. Set in a conservation area, the building respects nearby buildings while projecting its own contemporary identity.
Brick on the ground floor provides security to the boat store, changing rooms and workshop, and contrasts with a tactile timber wrap around the upper two storeys containing a gym and crew room. The upper levels also contain fifteen student accommodation units, accessed from an internal courtyard to create a secure living environment. A large terrace offers great views over the river and park beyond.
The boathouse has been designed along passive design principles, removing the need for fossil fuel heating and thereby minimizing its impact on the environment.
