Dovehouse Court Almshouses, Cambridgeshire

2025 RIBA East Award 

Housing
Mole Architects for Girton Town Charity
Contract value: Confidential
GIA: 996m²

Girton Town Charity already owned 13 almshouses in this village parish just northwest of Cambridge, prior to deciding to add a further 15 units along with a permanent office for itself. Using the annually accrued profits from a substantial medieval bequest – the charity dates back to 1521 – the resulting scheme for residents aged over 55 is immediately welcoming and quietly impressive.

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 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. Additionally, an existing electrical substation had to be relocated, and the presence of trees in neighbouring gardens required the use of ground piles for structural stability.

Despite those challenges, the almshouses are both admirably designed and, at 62–65m² each, commendably spacious. Timber-framed and white-rendered with vividly coloured front doors, they are arranged as a long single-storey run between two double-storey wings. 

All are built to Passivhaus standards, their operational carbon astonishingly 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.

As an exercise in placemaking on a loose-knit high street, the architects have retained a use that is ingrained within the village yet is now provided to a higher standard. The arrival sequence and the gradation of public to private space is thoughtfully considered, encouraging residents to linger awhile, meet, and grow vegetables and friendships.

The detailing is delightfully executed, as seen in the stair towers made of CorTen weathering steel and the subtle landscaping of the courtyard. House numbers are boldly carved into entrance plinths. Bright doors were specified because colour is one of the last features recognisable by people with dementia. In every aspect, the role of Girton Town Charity as client was critical to believing in and guiding this exemplary project.

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RIBA UK Awards 2025 sponsored by Autodesk, EH Smith, Equitone and VELUX