projects
tree of tracks
Highly commended competition proposal for Devonshire Gardens, Cambridge, organised by Socius and Railpen.
Nestled within the heart of Cambridge’s Devonshire Gardens lies a narrative woven from the threads of railway history and industrial legacy. Flanked by railway tracks, Devonshire Road, and Mill Road, the site is framed by memories of locomotion, a tribute to the enduring relationship between community and rail — a bond that spans generations and steers towards a sustainable future. Envisioned as a beacon born from the very essence of rail, the Tree of Tracks pavilion was proposed as a testament to the site’s past and its aspirations for tomorrow. Every inch of this landscape resonates with the rhythm of rail; from the inaugural journeys of 1845, when the first trains chugged their way to Cambridge from London and Norwich, to the bustling railway workers’ cottages lining Mill Road, to the Devonshire Pub, likely the first building on the road, originally named Midland Tavern, commemorating the Midland Railway, and the Railway Mission Hall. The development’s design already acknowledges this rich history through subtle architectural moves, with its sawtooth roofs, the ‘sleeper-style’ landscape seating, and the names of different zones. We saw an opportunity to make this history even more visible. The Tree of Tracks pavilion emerges as a tribute to this rich legacy while embodying the ethos of sustainability that defines Devonshire Gardens. Crafted from reclaimed steel tracks and timber sleepers sourced from the veins of the railway network, the pavilion emerges as a sculptural centrepiece, seamlessly blending rusted steel and weathered wood with the existing landscape palette of the development. Inspired by nature and designed to be experienced from the ground but also from residents’ windows above, the pavilion takes the form of an organic tree bursting with energy from the earth. It takes cues from the landscape forms and nestles itself into the centre, creating a cover over the tiered seating and defining an outdoor performance area, inviting residents to engage in communal activities under its dappled light canopy. Inside its wide trunk, placed to the side to facilitate pedestrian flow, a small but fully accessible community kitchen will provide an anchor to the social space, opening up with serving windows, fostering connections and providing sustenance to all. The radial branches made from curved railway tracks provide visual focus, guiding people from the outside to its centre, bringing a community together. The tracks hold glass and timber panels cut from sleepers, shingling within its side grooves. The edge of the tree is articulated as a ‘pleat,’ inspired by the language of sawtooth roofs of sheds once on the site and those found in the neighbouring railway infrastructure. Its soft arcs complement the rectilinear forms of the buildings and align with the landscape architecture. Above, a green roof planted with meadow flowers and grasses enhances biodiversity and complements the site’s landscape strategy. |