Clare Hall Cambridge
Clare Hall is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, founded in 1966 by Clare College, a college for advanced study, admitting only post graduate students alongside postdoctoral researchers and fellows.
The architect Ralph Erskine was appointed 1969 to design the buildings for Clare Hall which include common rooms, offices, dining facilities, a house for the President and 20 apartments for visiting fellows. Whilst the buildings where finished the interior for the college was never completed but left to their own device.
In early 2018 Magnus Englund and I were appointed to look at some parts of the college interiors, the entrance space, common rooms and the bar area, with the intent to give them the identity they always deserved, to mirror the architecture and time when the building was created.
We looked at the general wall-colour to best suit the now amber coloured pillars and slanted wooden ceiling which where to stay the same. Adding colour to the space was important to create an uplifting atmosphere. We chose to do so through the furniture. Once the neutral wall colour, holding all elements together was established, we looked at the floor and how to emphasise the different areas. Here Bolon flooring came as a good solution, using a striped version for the currently anonymous entrance, allowing it to be more upbeat and welcoming but still keeping in tone with all interior elements of which some where not part of the budget so had to stay the same.
The staircase was restored to its original intent, the metal spindles painted black, holding the wooden handrail. We also wanted to emphasise the architect behind this unique college, why we introduced a large black and white portrait of Ralph Erskine, now gracing the entrance for visitors to instantly be able to connect and be part of the visual story he created.
For the common rooms we decided on a single floor colour, choosing a shade from the striped entrance floor. Colour was added through the furniture and curtains where we decided for warm orange, ochre, flamingo pink and turquoise. The same was used for the seat-cushions for the already existing Aalto benches placed under the black and white portrait, giving the entrance a discreet dash of colour and life.
The furniture by Swedese, with the Accent sofa and Primo chair by Yngve Ekström are a perfect fit for the building as they were designed around the same time. These pieces, one can imagine, would possibly have been chosen by the architect at the time the college was completed, fitting to accompany the architectural language. The sofas and armchairs live well side by side with the simple meeting tables in oak by architect Jonas Lindvall for Stolab and the classic Grand Prix chair by Arne Jacobsen.
Client Review: Christina and her colleague completely understood Clare Hall's needs, better than we did, the need to realise Ralph Erskine's original intent preserving its uniquely Scandinavian atmosphere whilst appealing to graduate PhD and post-doctoral community as well as our older established academics and visitors. She introduced us to furniture fabrics and fittings and set us on a highly enjoyable path of enhancing the College as funds come in. C. Alan Short, Cambridge 2018
