Brooklands Workplace Campus By Allies and Morrison: A Net Zero Benchmark for Sustainable Offices in Cambridge

Brooklands Workplace Campus is a forward-looking office development in central Cambridge that sets a new benchmark for sustainable, high-quality workspace. Designed by Allies and Morrison, the campus delivers the city’s first major Net Zero Carbon office building, responding to the growing demand for flexible, low-carbon workplaces that support Cambridge’s globally significant knowledge economy.

Located between the leafy Brooklands Avenue Conservation Area and the dynamic CB1 business district near Cambridge Station, the project carefully balances heritage sensitivity with contemporary commercial ambition. Rather than expanding the city outward, Brooklands demonstrates how underutilized urban sites can be regenerated sustainably, contributing to Cambridge’s long-term growth strategy.

A Campus Organized Around Landscape

The 6,000 m² development is composed of two office buildings, B1 and B2, arranged around a landscaped courtyard garden. This shared outdoor space acts as the social and environmental heart of the campus, offering tenants a calm, biodiverse amenity while also forming a publicly accessible pedestrian route through the site. A colonnade links the two buildings, reinforcing the sense of a garden campus rarely found in central Cambridge workplaces.

Context-Responsive Architecture

Building B1 sits alongside a Victorian terrace on Brooklands Avenue. Its three-storey massing, domestic proportions, and large north-facing windows respect the surrounding conservation area. A double-height dormer marks the entrance and creates a strong sense of arrival, while a partial CLT (cross-laminated timber) structure with exposed timber soffits enhances warmth and daylight within the interiors.

In contrast, Building B2 addresses Clarendon Road with a larger five-storey volume and generous commercial floorplates. Its stepped massing and integrated roof terraces reduce visual impact while creating valuable outdoor workspaces. The sawtooth roof brings soft northern light into the top-floor offices, giving them a loft-like character suited to creative and collaborative work environments.

Sustainability and Net Zero Performance

Sustainability is central to the Brooklands Workplace Campus. Both buildings achieve an EPC A+ rating and meet the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge energy targets for new office buildings. The all-electric, fossil fuel–free design incorporates air source heat pumps, VRF systems, and high-performance building fabric. Approximately 870 m² of rooftop photovoltaic panels maximize on-site renewable energy generation, supporting the project’s net zero operational carbon goals.

The development also prioritizes low-carbon mobility and wellbeing. A basement level provides secure parking for 300 bicycles, accessed via a generous stepped cycle ramp, contributing to the project’s Active Score Platinum rating. Digitally, the campus is future-ready, achieving WiredScore Platinum for its resilient and flexible infrastructure.

Flexible, Future-Proof Workspaces

Brooklands is designed with long-term adaptability in mind. Large, efficient floorplates meet contemporary tenant expectations, while built-in “soft spots” allow for future internal staircases and evolving workplace layouts. A tenant design guide ensures future fit-outs align with the building’s sustainability and performance ambitions, extending its lifespan and relevance.

A New Model for Cambridge Offices

More than just an office development, Brooklands Workplace Campus represents a new model for sustainable office architecture in the UK. Through its sensitive response to context, landscape-led design, and ambitious net zero strategy, the project supports tenant wellbeing, environmental responsibility, and Cambridge’s continued role as a center for innovation.

By stitching together heritage, sustainability, and modern workplace needs, Allies and Morrison have created a calm, characterful campus that gives back to the city—proving that high-performance, low-carbon offices can also be generous, human-scaled, and deeply connected to place.

All the photographs are works of Jack Hobhouse