East Cambridge Regeneration Project

Known as the leading region in the city of Cambridge for growth and opportunity, East Cambridge recognizes the variety of commercial enterprise and development through the lenses of Cambridge Science Park and Cambridge Business Park. However, the region does not fully acknowledge its surrounding communities that conform within the boundaries of these new developments. Therefore, East Cambridge seeks to capture the qualities and opportunities amongst the new and existing neighbourhoods by highlighting the culture and identities for redevelopment in northeast Cambridge. Individual project - responsible for all designs, developments, and illustrations

Pictured below: Master Plan

CONDITIONS OF EAST CAMBRIDGE

East Cambridge’s area has a plethora of vibrant neighbourhoods with multiple identities, such as the business parks and the active youth centres. Each identity represents a unique character & symbol but functions as a separate entity rather than a unified community. The Council has established an innovative development that merges all characters into one.

Cambridge Science Park Science fair at Brown Field Community Centre

Cambridge North train station Cambridge Business Park Brown Field Community Centre

The Meadows Community Centre

East Cambridge Regeneration Project - Urban Development - Cambridge, UK(2020) According to Cambridge City Council, East Cambridge is the most deprived region in the city; this includes areas such as King’s Hedge, East Chesterton and East Abby. The area is also known to have the highest unemployment rate with a high percentage of population growth; therefore, requiring a high demand for housing and employment centres.

These conditions have resulted in a proposed redevelopment strategy, by the Council, known as The East Cambridge Regeneration Project (ECRP), which connects the characters of East Cambridge, while addressing current issues, in parallel to the city’s overall vision.

Map of the city of Cambridge Northeast redevelopment strategy Indices of Deprivation 2019

Population growth of Cambridge

URBAN COMPONENTS

The initial site research was to observe several urban components, including the nodes and intersections and their accessibility throughout the community. Another observation was to understand the means of mobility and the connections between pedestrian paths and roads. It became apparent that there were several missing mobile links on-site. It was essential to identify the forms of social infrastructure, as well as,important destinations that relate to the surrounding community, such as Cambridge Regional College and the new Cambridge North Station. The existing blue/green features indicated around the site acts as corridors leading to the River Cam.

ACCESSIBILITY MOBILITY

The corridors extend along the edges of the site as ecological systems and components. The final observation was to examine the existing flood conditions. The flood map identifies the need to reinforce and implement mitigation measures at the River Cam’s edge. By accumulating this information, ECRP was able to establish a refined vision and framework for the future.

SOCIAL NETWORKS

AIMS & OBJECTIVES

The Regeneration Project endorses a sustainable, innovative community in northeast Cambridge that aims to promote economic growth and enhance the social and environmental networks while introducing resilient design strategies. FRAMEWORK

The Vision:

ECRP’s goal is to bridge the existing and new communities through economic hubs, eco-friendly passageways, and mobile networks while producing a new social alliance and connections between all characters.

The framework contains four new land uses—commercial; mixed-use commercial/ residential; resilient residential—located 400m from the new town centre, new school and Cambridge North Station.

KINGS HEDGES GATEWAY BUSINESS CENTRE

RESIDENTIAL

TOWN CENTRE

RESILIENT CORRIDOR DUPLICATION of CHARACTERS

East Cambridge Regeneration Project formulates existing characters into collective passageways that provide new means for economic growth and sustainable improvements. Each district, or character duplicated into vibrant communities embracing social and environmental sustainability.

RESILIENT RESIDENTIAL

DUPLICATIONS OF DEVELOPMENTS & CHARACTERS

EAST CAMBRIDGE REGENERATION PROJECT (ECRP)

STRATEGIC GOALS:

Promote Economic Growth

-enhance, create, and improve employment retention

Enhance Social and Environmental Networks

-Implementing new green corridors with opportunity for blue infrastructure

Create innovate resilient design strategies

-mitigate existing flooding conditions from the River Cam and surface rainwater

ECRP DISTRICTS

ECRP has created six new districts, known as the new Characters of East Cambridge—Kings Hedges Gateway, Town Centre, Business Centre, Residential Neighbourhood, Resilient Residential Neighbourhood, and the Resilient Corridor. Each district contains its own identity with varies amenities and features, as well as, a communal corridor acting as a passageway into the next district.

KINGS HEDGES GATEWAY

The Gateway provides a new public realm surrounded by mixed-use commercial facilities and a public transit bus hub for the existing residents at Kings Hedges. Kings Hedges threshold creates a passageway into Cambridge Science Park green corridor, for both pedestrians and cyclists, extending to East Cambridge town centre.

TOWN CENTRE CORRIDOR

East Cambridge town centre is a beacon for celebrating Cambridge architectural and ecological diversity while integrating sustainable mobile networks in the city.

BUSINESS CENTRE

Parallel to Cowley Road is the Business Centre, which functions as an employment hub for a variety of commercial enterprises in Cambridge. The goal is to re-imagine the 21st-century business park and provide a place for local and international companies.

THE CHARACTERS

Burnley Town Centre Cheshire West Greenway Glasgow City Centre Live/Work in Los Angeles, CA Cambourne Business Park

RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOOD

The Residential district is a combination of apartment flats, modern-day terrace houses, and multiple room units to accommodate the existing and new families moving in the community. This area is surrounded by an ecological feature which acts both as a sound barrier against the public transit noise and a public park stimulating healthy lifestyles and well being.

RESILIENT NEIGHBOURHOOD

East Cambridge Regeneration Project - Urban Development - Cambridge, UK(2020)

RESILIENT CORRIDOR

The Resilient Neighbourhood represents the future of Cambridge by introducing new methods and housing typologies for flood protection and mitigation, such as bio swales, along the River Cam. The existing green fields enhancements allow for surface water retention and detention; thus, controlling the collection of rainwater and water tides from the river. The Resilient Corridor is a continuation of the Resilient Neighbourhood with rain gardens throughout the public park. A rain garden corridor leads to an existing neighbourhood, which has reclaimed its vacant lands into a community garden endorse by the East Cambridge Community Fund Grant.