Clare College required a dedicated lecture theatre for 150 people, catering for delegates, fellows offices, 34 new study bedrooms suitable for delegates as well as students, and a student laundry. The site was one of the last pieces of undeveloped land in central Cambridge, next to Memorial Court – a series of landscaped courtyards designed for the College by Giles Gilbert-Scott and built in stages between 1929 and 1950.

James was responsible for the competition winning design, and then lead the development of the scheme through to a succesful completion.

The design draws together the needs of the brief and the historic architectural context to create a new college court, a highly functional, flexible building, and holistic sustainable design.