Dovehouse Court Almshouses
by Mole Architects Ltd
Client Girton Town Charity
Award RIBA East Award 2025
The award winner tells us: "Mole Architects has completed a new Passivhaus certified almshouse development for Girton Town Charity in the village of Girton on the outskirts of Cambridge.
The development provides 15 one-bedroom bungalows and flats, specifically designed for the increasing 55 and over demographic. The client seeks to provide support for those who live or have family connections within the Girton Parish boundary to live independently for as long as they can."
The awards jury said: "The site’s challenges were notable: replacing a cul-de-sac lined with 20th century bungalows which were not sufficiently suitable for single older people; the location of an adjacent cottage that is set well back from the street front also restricted the heights of the blocks, in order to minimise overlooking; because of the sloping terrain, the almshouses needed to be stepped; an existing electrical substation had to be relocated; plus the presence of trees in neighbouring gardens required the use of ground piles for structural stability."
Built to Passivhaus standards, their operational carbon is low at just 34.1 kilowatt hours per square metre each year. This is lower than the ambitious target proposed by the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge."
Read the full citation from the RIBA Awards Jury on RIBA Journal
Contractor Barnes Construction
Project management Northmores
Structural engineer Conisbee
Environmental/M&E engineer pre tender Hoare Lea
Environmental/M&E engineer post tender JG Consulting
Quantity surveyor/cost consultant Faithful and Gould
Landscape architect Jamie Buchanan Landscape
Passivhaus certifier WARM
Gross internal area 996m²
