Homerton College, Cambridge
Homerton College Entrance
Awards
A New Way In
Our master plan integrates the new building into its College setting and creates powerful new visual connections to existing landmarks.
The new entrance building is sited to establish a confident presence on Hills Road aligned with existing frontage lines. The siting creates two new quadrangle spaces that raise the quality of the front landscape and create new social spaces that increase the opportunities for outdoor activities and social engagements.
A new west quad – situated between the existing library and the new entrance building– will be an activated social space; a new south quad – accessed directly from the southern colonnade- is enclosed by a hedge to offer a more contemplative space overlooked by workspaces.
Vehicle, cycle, and pedestrian entrances are separated to clarify circulation and improve the visitor experience. The main pedestrian entrance coincides with the position of the existing entry.
The entrance experience is enhanced with a generous forecourt, providing fully-inclusive, step-free access to the Porter’s Lodge and Gallery. A rhythmic façade of stone portals frames a covered colonnade, which passes through the building to arrive at the new West Quad. New paths follow direct views that lead to key College buildings, including the Great Hall, the Cavendish Building, and the new Dining Hall.
The structure is crafted from high-quality and low-carbon materials that provide both form and finish for long-term durability. Reinforced red sandstone columns and beams span from front to back façades. A lattice of natural timber joists from local UK forests spans between these stone portals. The joists will support thin stone slabs that will form the ceiling.
The Porter’s Lodge
This is a welcoming space sheltered by a covered portico on the east and west sides of the building.
The reception is arranged to allow passive observation of the main entrance colonnade. Large shaded windows offer clear views while making the porters visible to visitors. The colonnade provides a single lock-down gate that can be easily closed.
Ancillary support spaces are arranged behind the main reception, including staff work and welfare space, the mail room, WCs, and a treatment room.
A Library for Wondrous Stories
At the centre of the building, a distinctive new reading room houses and celebrates the College’s unique collection of children’s books. A double-height rotunda introduces diffuse, clerestory light into an almost circular shelf-lined reading room below. The space is roofed with an inverted dome ceiling, evoking a floating moon — an ever-present motif in children’s literature.
Almost circular in plan, the room’s northwest corner is squared to inflect towards the Great Hall and create extra space for furniture. Additional reader spaces are provided for the existing library by creating a glazed walkway overlooking the new west quad.
The reading room is insulated from noise by a buffer of storage spaces. On the west side, windows overlook planting in the new quad and visually connect to the main library. Full-height doors open into the gallery space, and the reading room is directly connected to the staff workspace and a seminar room.
Clerestory windows in the library incorporate stained glass, creating a distinct atmosphere. Day and night, the library will appear like a magical lantern — a landmark to passing traffic on Hills Road and a signal orientation point within the College grounds.
Public Facing Gallery
The gallery is a generous volume with a visible presence on Hills Road, revealing ongoing exhibitions and activity to passers-by. The west wall is lined with fitted display cabinets, while loose display tables can suit a changing programme of events. The library interior is glimpsed through tall stained glass doors, which can be opened to the gallery for special occasions. The location and the flexible design make the space suitable for private-hire events.
- Name:
- Homerton College Entrance
- Client:
- Homerton College, Cambridge
- Date:
- August 2021
- Location:
- Cambridge, UK
- Status:
- Competition
- Budget:
- £3 Million
- Sector:
- EducationPublic Realm
- Team:
- Alan DempseyGina ZachariasJoe Dent
- Collaborators:
- Structural and Services Engineer: Webb Yates Landscape: Todd Longstaffe Gowan Lighting: DHA Design
