Christ’s College Boathouse

Hidden engineering supports and extends heritage boathouse

Situated in the centre of Cambridge on the river Cam, the original Victorian wooden-framed boathouse is the oldest on the river, first built in 1887.

The existing boathouse required refurbishment and extension to accommodate more boat storage and new modern gym and changing facilities.

The extension designed by Architect Bland Brown & Cole was to mirror the form of the retained Victorian building with the addition of a cantilevered balcony to the riverside frontage, linking the new with the old.

AFP designed piled foundations for the new boathouse and devised a steel framed superstructure to bear onto the new retaining walls and slab. To facilitate internal alterations and the new balcony, we also strengthened the existing boathouse with a hidden steel subframe.

Location
The Blyth-McGregor Boathouse, Cambridge

Client
Christ’s College Cambridge

Sector
Sport & Leisure

Value
Confidential