Situated within the sensitive De Freville Conservation Area, the ambitious project replaced failing 1960s facilities with three bespoke, brick-articulated buildings engineered to harmonise with the surrounding residential architecture. The scheme successfully expanded the college’s housing capacity to deliver 85 modern graduate student units alongside 14 market-sale apartments, earning two regional RICS awards and national recognition in Brick Bulletin.
To support the university’s growth projections while prioritizing environmental sustainability, Bedwell MEP engineered an energy-efficient, low-carbon building services strategy. Built upon a passive “fabric-first” approach to construction, the development features a centralized community heating network powered by a High-Efficiency Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant, integrated green roofs, and on-site renewable energy generation systems. Our complete MEP scope delivered balanced ventilation, intelligent control systems, site-wide power distribution, robust fire and security infrastructure, and landscape lighting—providing Clare College with a future-proofed, highly sustainable residential community.
