Yellow brick walls with unarranged white windows enclose communal courtyards and timber-lined walkways at the heart of Mecanoo's housing for the University of Cambridge.
Located in the city of Cambridge, UK, the Key Worker Housing development contains 232 affordable homes and communal spaces for researchers and key employees at the university.

Key Worker Housing is characterised by its varied material finishes, including oak cladding and yellow bricks, which were chosen by Mecanoo to reflect the "layering of architectural inventions over the centuries" throughout the English city.
Similarly, the housing's layout references the "collegiate character of Cambridge", taking cues from the typical arrangement of the university's colleges that provide accommodation for students and often have a central courtyard. Photo is by Greg Holmes
"Cambridge is a city contextualised through the layering of architectural inventions over the centuries," explained the architecture studio, which is based in Delft.
"This has resulted in a unique composition of urban space, architecture and landscape," it added. "Mecanoo's design adds a new layer to this, building upon the rich traditions and collegiate character of Cambridge."

Inside, the Key Worker Housing contains a mix of different-sized apartments ranging from one bed and two-bed apartments to duplexes with four bedrooms and shared kitchen and study spaces.
These are contained within two blo...