The Schlumberger Gould Research Centre Cambridge designed by Sir Michael Hopkins has just been granted Grade II* listed status, while the architect described himself as being ‘thrilled’ at the news.The building has a glass-fibre fabric roof, glazed partitioning and a central meeting area in the Winter Garden which benefits from the futuristic roof, which allows natural light to flood into the space below. It carries out research into new oil drilling techniques, chemical processes, and geophysics.
The building, has survived remarkably intact and has been listed at Grade II* by Heritage Minister Tracey Crouch on the advice of Historic England. She said: ‘This landmark building is an important example of the brilliant Michael Hopkins’ early work, which challenged conventions with its innovative use of space and new materials. It stands as a testament to the High-Tech Movement of the 1980s and this listing will ensure the building can be preserved for future generations and remains a highlight of Cambridge architecture.’
Sir Michael Hopkins said he was ‘thrilled’ and added that the building’s appearance more than 30 years on was a tribute to Schlumberger’s continuing upkeep work. Roger Bowdler, Director of Listing for Historic England, said the centre was an ‘extremely important piece of High-Tech architecture by one of the leading British architects of recent times’. Grade II* buildings are described by Historic England as particularly important buildings of more than special interest. It is the second-highest grade.
Read more at Historic England News
