Møller Centre, Cambridge

DSDHA were commissioned to design a new Collaborative Learning Environment and Music Centre for The Møller Centre at Churchill College, Cambridge University.

The Collaborative Learning Environment provides a range of new interactive conference facilities and required a highly serviced and reconfigurable environments to provide expansive spaces capable of subdivision into small clusters. This flexibility is required to allow groups to engage with projects at a range of scale and degrees of autonomy. Simultaneously, based on an increasing awareness that learning continues outside dedicated teaching areas, The Møller Centre requested enhanced and enlarged break-out spaces for interaction and the informal development of ideas.

The calm interior conceals sophisticated and high tech IT and communication systems which enable the building’s flexible configurations.

The Music Centre comprises a recital room for performances, a suite of practice rooms and an acoustically isolated recording studio. A sleek glass exterior is modulated to reflect the landscape, and filter views to the highly controlled interior. Internally timber lining softens the sharp geometry extending the materiality of the trees inside.

“The space has been very popular with clients and has been used in many different and exciting ways. It is a tribute to the vision of our clients, our staff here and to the architects who translated our ideas into reality”

Gillian Holdom, Director, The Møller Centre