What is simply a side-alley in one city can be a factory ope in a second, or a tourist-friendly ‘lane’ in a third. The perceived value of these essential arteries of the built environment varies based on the local culture. Recognising the incredible esteem in which intimate streets are held in Cambridge, we set out to transform what appears at first as a mid-terrace house into the landmark corner cottage we felt it deserved to be. The uninviting passage adjacent to the property would be rescued from relative obscurity and reinvented as a through route to the nearby park.
On a superficial level, the issue with the existing route could be attributed to the commercial waste bins, often overfilled and an inevitable source of clutter. Besides the unpleasant odour, their very presence meant the passage was identified as a service corridor with no through route. Through negotiations with the local planning authority, arrangements were made for the relocation of the bins which made a significant difference to the optics of our proposed development and the adjacent Grade II listed public house, with its more conspicuous corner entrance.
More profoundly, however, the challenge with restoring the necessarily poetic quality to ‘Milton’s Walk’ lay in drawing the eye toward the green space beyond. In replacing the existing, unsympathetic rear extensions with a contemporary sculptural form extending to the irregular boundary line of the site, we recognised we would be better able to play with natural light and cultivate interest. The muted cast iron tones and irregular perforations of the cladding drew light towards unexpected places and cast shadows, creating the impression of trees dancing on the surface. With the corner reoriented towards Milton’s Walk at ground level and Christ’s Pieces on the first floor, there was every reason to invite a bi-directional traffic flow between the main frontage on King’s Street and the park.
