Westbrook Drive, Cambridge
London
Reef Origin
The Brief
Following the demolition of four existing office buildings, Design Delivery Unit have been appointed to deliver three new state-of-the-art lab-ready office spaces that incorporate advanced infrastructure for future lab tenants. Shared amenities and 2.3 acres of public gardens promote health, well-being, and innovation.
Added Value
A sophisticated blue roof system has been integrated, designed to attenuate rainwater across the building rooftops and surrounding landscape. The principal entrance is highlighted by a circular glazed rain garden, featuring a specimen tree and complementary planting to enhance the arrival experience. Targeting BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Gold enabled, the scheme incorporates water-saving strategies and a Whole Lifecycle Carbon approach for a 120-year lifespan. With over 850 cycle spaces and reduced car access, it prioritises sustainability and community connectivity.
Technical Challenges
We fully redesigned the structural grid and core configurations to achieve optimal lab-ready column spacings and clear heights, while also optimising the layout for the undercroft parking level. The project brief required meeting stringent vibration criteria to ensure each floorplate could remain fully flexible for laboratory use. This presented a significant technical challenge, particularly as the building’s façades were rationalised and detailed using ultra-high-performance fibre-reinforced concrete panels, selected for their architectural quality and efficiency in on-site construction.

Overview
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