How Do We Densify Town Centres for Adaptive Reuse?

NOOMA Studio was invited to collaborate with a group of leading architecture practices on a strategic housing study exploring how town centres and emerging districts can accommodate higher density while supporting community life. Commissioned by Landsec U+I and TOWN, the study brought together Alison Brooks Architects, Fielden Fowles, Howarth Tompkins, Kjellander Sjöberg and Bell Phillips to explore innovative housing typologies for the Hartree masterplan in North East Cambridge.

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The Hartree masterplan forms part of the planned North East Cambridge district, a 48-hectare growth area located near Cambridge North railway station and within cycling distance of the city centre. The wider development aims to deliver approximately 5,600 homes alongside workplaces, schools, retail and green infrastructure, creating a network of walkable neighbourhoods designed to support wellbeing and sustainable urban living.

Within this collaborative study, NOOMA Studio was tasked with developing feasibility proposals for two residential plots within the River Quarter, located at the intersection of the Green Corridor and the Play Line — a sequence of public spaces linking neighbourhood squares, schools and outdoor recreation areas.

The studio explored how higher-density living could support diverse households while strengthening social infrastructure at the neighbourhood scale. The proposals included a family-focused residential block and a co-housing scheme designed for residents over 50, combining private homes with shared facilities that encourage collective living and everyday interaction.

At ground level, active frontages and community programmes were designed to connect directly with the Play Line and surrounding public spaces. Shared amenities such as co-working areas, childcare facilities, communal kitchens and growing spaces formed part of a broader strategy to support social connection, local food culture and intergenerational living.

The scheme proposed a series of layered spaces transitioning from public to private: active street frontages, shared courtyards and podium gardens, communal terraces and more intimate rooftop spaces. Together these elements created opportunities for both social interaction and personal retreat within a dense urban environment.

By combining housing, community uses and shared resources within compact footprints, the study explored how new neighbourhoods can support evolving patterns of family life, ageing and work. The collaboration demonstrated how architectural research and multi-practice design teams can test new typologies for inclusive, community-centred urban living.