The library is located on the first and second floors of the new building, housing a collection of over 30,000 books. On the ground floor, an Auditorium provides a multi-use space for lectures and performances. 26 metres above the ground, a roof top lantern offers panoramic views of Cambridge.

At basement level, the building is constructed from a concrete frame basement on seacant piles. The above-ground structure is comprised of a steel frame with metsec infill and a brick and detailed feature stone façade.

Construction on a live site required careful planning to ensure that our impact on the College community was minimised, including ceasing all activities during exam periods. Quality was of crucial importance on the scheme, and we ensured that the façade’s Ketton stone was rigorously checked to ensure that it was of the required standard. This included site visits to examine the stone at the quarry, and a four-stage checking process once it arrived on site.

The project delivered meaningful benefits to the wider community, with apprentices being employed on site, and the College’s engineering students visiting site to compliment their studies.

“From the tender interview to completion, and now in the period of snagging defects, Barnes have performed with strong communication and efficiency. With this we have a library and auditorium which has a high quality finish […] Barnes approached this project with a pragmatic ‘can do’ attitude and found ways to smooth over nearly all issues, often before the College needed to be involved.”
Martin Pierce (Bursar) and Chris Hurcomb (Operations Manager), Selwyn College.