Newnham Road, Cambridge

The application site occupies a prominent corner at the junction of Newnham Road and the spur leading to Newnham Mill. The existing buildings at Nos. 35 and 37, dating from the 1920s or later, are of limited architectural merit. No. 37, formerly The Rice Boat restaurant, is a flat-roofed single-storey building, while No. 35 and No. 37 share two-storey neo-Tudor façades with applied timber framing. Collectively, these structures contribute little to the character or quality of the street.

From the outset, a three-storey scale was identified as the most suitable for this location. The site’s position at a junction, along with the surrounding mix of two- and three-storey buildings, provides an opportunity for a development that acts as a transition between commercial and residential uses. To mitigate its impact, the massing has been stepped down where it adjoins more sensitive neighbouring properties, and the building is set back from the highway to echo the established building line. The design has been refined through several stages of development, resulting in a scheme that integrates well with the area while introducing a clear contemporary identity.

A projecting corner element with a curved edge creates a visual link to the adjacent flat development to the east. This form not only ties the proposal into its context but also strengthens the street frontage and provides a defined ground-floor presence for the commercial unit. The general massing responds to the varied roofscapes and frontage widths found locally. Upper floors are broken down with deep-set dormer windows, helping to reduce the overall scale and adding rhythm to the elevation. This approach prevents a monolithic block and introduces visual relief across the façade. The material palette has been carefully curated to achieve balance and contrast. Stone framing provides solidity and definition, brick infill adds warmth and texture, while bronze-coloured fittings introduce subtle contemporary accents. The intention is not to replicate neighbouring buildings but to complement them, strengthening the character of the street through a design that is both contextual and distinctive.

The resulting proposal delivers a building that sits comfortably within its setting while enhancing the urban fabric. By carefully considering scale, massing, and materials, the scheme contributes positively to the area’s architectural diversity and street presence.