MCW have been working closely with our client Paragon on the design of an office and laboratory building for the Cambridge Innovation Park South. The building will provide over 50,000 ft2 of hybrid office and laboratory space and includes an on-site café, as well as start-up and scale up space. The site will focus on life-sciences with an ethical emphasis.

The focus has been on creating a carefully configured efficient plan-form that will enable Paragon to deliver the new Cambridge Innovation Park South building in the most cost-effective way; whilst providing all users with a stimulating, welcoming and enjoyable experience and spaces.

The scheme articulates two functional zones. The first is contained within the
U-shaped flat roofed form containing all the laboratory and office spaces. The Visitor facilities are situated in a smaller volume perched on the west wing, linking in at the centre with a louvred plant enclosure that will house air handling and chilling plant.

All spaces are daylit through the large glazed facade that overlooks the main courtyard, along with a series of specifically located windows to the facade around the external perimeter of the building. The cafe is fully glazed to the east, west and south with views to the surrounding landscape.

The primary face of the building addresses the large courtyard, and with its deeply recessed colonnade walkways provides both effective shading to the occupied work spaces and also definition for the main entrances for staff and visitors. A dedicated and secure reception entry is located at the eastern end of the courtyard, providing access to the rooftop facilities.

The perimeter of the building set back from the boundary is punctuated with several vertical stainless steel perforated clad service stacks, which provide visual breaks and rhythm to the façades. 

Cambridge Innovation Park South will be based on a 2-acre site situated in the midst of the Cambridge biotech cluster, near to Granta Park and Babraham Institute and close to Addenbrookes Biomedical Campus.