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ATHENA If you’re sold on the Eddington vision, look to Athena: the 249 sleek new homes located opposite the University of Cambridge Primary School. Named, fittingly, after the Greek goddess of wisdom, the development offers a collection of cleverly designed studios, one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom houses. “These are what we call 21st-century period homes, combining contemporary design and vernacular with walkable streets more commonly found in historic places that have evolved over many years,” explains architect, Alexis Butterfield, associate partner, Pollard Thomas Edwards. “The restrained palette of facade materials has been inspired by the robust qualities of Cambridge; brick, metal and stone.” Filled with natural light, the homes take inspiration from Cambridge’s period properties (large windows, spacious rooms), while reflecting contemporary lifestyles with underfloor heating, terraces and hi-tech appliances. It offers an appealing mixture of modern and traditional. When asked about what they’re most pleased with though, the architects say it’s the way the residents’ needs have been put at the heart of the design. “Open space in our towns and cities is increasingly precious, and with our design each piece of the available space
has been planned to put people first and cars second,” says Alexis. “Residents’ parking is kept off the street. Two whole streets are landscaped and given over to community use entirely – transforming the street from a traffic space into a social space, and providing an attractive walk to the new local centre.” The compact, low-rise design at Athena is a perfect demonstration of how developers can answer the need for high- density housing, without compromising the overall aesthetic of a development – or, of course, marring the skyline.
“THE HOMES TAKE INSPIRATION FROM CAMBRIDGE’S PERIOD PROPERTIES, WHILE REFLECTING CONTEMPORARY LIFESTYLES”
HILL.CO.UK
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