Post by Pembroke College, Cambridge

Pembroke’s Mill Lane site, now known as the Dolby Quarter, has been shortlisted for the 2026 RIBA Stirling Prize. The Stirling Prize is the UK’s most prestigious architecture award. Named in memory of architect James Stirling, it celebrates buildings that have made a significant contribution to the built environment. Designed by Haworth Tompkins, the Mill Lane site won a RIBA National Prize in July and received four RIBA Regional Awards (East) in May. Located opposite Pembroke’s historic site, in the centre of the city, the project transformed a congested urban location in Cambridge’s Historic Core Conservation Area into a coherent new quarter. It offers a mix of student accommodation, social, teaching and public spaces all arranged around connected open spaces that mirror the courts and gardens across the road. Designed with sustainability as a priority, the project increased the College's footprint by around a third. It included the sensitive preservation and retrofitting of six existing buildings of various ages and styles alongside the construction of six new buildings. The site is gas-free, served by air-source heat pumps. The refurbished buildings all have improved glazing and insulation to enhance their thermal performance, while the new buildings incorporate passive design. Solar panels have been installed on roofs, and materials salvaged from the buildings that could not be retained were reused to reduce embodied carbon. In addition, the gardens were designed with climate resilience in mind. Julian de Metz, RIBA East Jury Chair, commented that the site is “a robust and thoughtful piece of city-making. It improves accessibility, strengthens connections between buildings and gardens, and opens the site to the wider community and to industry. It shows how heritage, contemporary academic needs and environmental responsibility can be aligned.” Reflecting on the nomination, Professor Rosalind Polly Blakesley, Master of Pembroke, said: “This is a remarkable and richly deserved tribute to the ingenuity and creativity of a complex project and stunning design.” The College congratulates Haworth Tompkins and all the teams involved in the site’s building and design. This recognition highlights a project that has greatly enhanced Pembroke and brought benefits to both the College and the wider Cambridge community. Bidwells, Charcoalblue, Cocksedge Building Contractors Limited, Commission Projects, Gleeds, Joel Gustafsson, Kellenberger–White, Max Fordham LLP, Price & Myers, Tom Stuart-Smith Studio, Turley, Alison Turnbull, WSP 📷 Fred Howarth