Cambridge Becomes ‘Cranebridge’ With Steel Construction Boom
For quite a while now the university city of Cambridge has been a hive of building activity, even to the extent that some wags have nicknamed it Cranebridge. Decades of growth in tech, life sciences and research have turned a compact university city into a hotbed of construction.
Here we look at some of the most important Cambridge steel projects nestling alongside the university's iconic colleges.
Major expansion for Cambridge research campus
The University of Cambridge’s West Cambridge site is where much of this growth started, and the Hauser Forum is one of its showpiece buildings. The scheme pairs two steel-framed structures: the Cambridge Enterprise Building, with a double-height cafe that cantilevers 11m from its southern facade, and the Broers Building, a four-storey research and development office block, connected by a high-level steel canopy.
According to project engineer Steve Buckley, the cafe’s dramatic cantilever, formed using steel trusses and Macalloy tension rods, was the entire reason the project used steel in the first place. The frame also let the design keep exposed concrete soffits for natural ventilation, something normally associated with concrete buildings.
The Dirac Building, St John's Innovation Park
Further out, St John's Innovation Park (owned by St John's College on land it has held since 1534) is in the middle of a new phase of growth, and steel is yet again playing a major part. The Dirac Building, a six-storey office block, is being built by Hambleton Steel using 600 tonnes of steel for main contractor VolkerFitzpatrick.
Structural engineer Ramboll specified steel for its long-span efficiency, giving column-free internal spans of up to 14.5m, described by the project team as unique for the Cambridge market, using Westok cellular beams that integrate building services within their depth.
Due for completion in spring 2027, it's a fantastic example of steel's role in Cambridge's life-science and tech expansion.
Commercial Cambridge: 50-60 Station Road
It’s important to note at this point that not all of Cambridge's boom is research-driven. The CB1 masterplan around the station has reshaped the city's commercial core, and 50-60 Station Road is its centrepiece.
Around 2,000 tonnes of steel was used for the project, using cellular beams to fit services within the floor depth and there was enough space to suit offices, retail and a basement car park beneath.
The area has drawn tenants including Microsoft, AstraZeneca and Apple, underlining why it has become the city's gateway to global business.
Supporting the Boom: University of Cambridge Primary School
Growth like this needs homes, services and schools too. The University of Cambridge Primary School was the first building completed as part of the North West Cambridge Development, a major new district built to house the university's expanding workforce.
A largely single-storey steel frame gave the flexible, open-plan layout the school needed, and the building received the 2017 RIBA East Award for its design and build.
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