Trinity College Cambridge

Student Facilities
The result of a successful competition entry, the design of the student facilities comprises the conversion of an 1830s Grade II listed lecture theatre that overtime had been insensitively altered. Identified as an ideal opportunity to consolidate the students’ facilities in an upgraded, self-contained and stylish new environment, the work demanded an imaginative response to conservation and restoration.

Common rooms are arranged over two levels, allowing the reinstatement of the double-height windows at the ends of the building and interlocking volumes separate graduate and under-graduate students. The contemporary expression of the new interiors is distinguished by the timelessness of natural materials. While traditional techniques were employed to restore original features, the latest insertions whose finishes comprise stone, leather and oak, are detailed with simplicity and clarity.

Fellows Parlour
The Grade I listed Parlour, a focal point of the social life of the college’s 160 fellows, was in urgent need for extra space, modern services and comfort. Old was integrated with new through significant refurbishment and replacing a small 1970s extension with a new structure, providing a series of intimate and welcoming spaces that are orientated towards views and natural light. Perimeter roof glazing floods the space with daylight and brings into relief the original 16th century stone walls. Glazed walls and screens further connect with the college’s historic buildings and landscape. The interiors are characterised by high-quality natural materials and are modestly detailed.