The Erasmus Building

The refurbishment of this unique building, its first in 30 years, has already begun and will be completed in the summer of 2025. The Erasmus Building is currently empty and covered in scaffolding, with Friars Court sectioned off for the contractors' equipment and facilities.

Works will include the installation of air source heat pumps, efficient heating/cooling systems, updated bedrooms and bathrooms, and a lift to improve accessibility. Additionally, one bedroom is being made wheelchair-friendly so that students with mobility impairments are able to live comfortably on the Dark Side of College.

This project is the first step in our drive to increase sustainability across the estate and reach net zero carbon by 2045. Whilst the college intends to retain most of the original features of the bedrooms from the 60s, we are sustainably sourcing our building materials where possible. For instance, new furniture is constructed of bamboo - a fast-growing wood, which absorbs more carbon than traditional types.

The refurbishment of the Erasmus Building has been made possible the generosity of our donors.

Grange Road Building

In 2023, the College acquired a striking property on Grange Road, close to Newnham College - our first major acquisition in central Cambridge since 1988. The building, previously the Margaret Beaufort Institute of Theology, is now home to over 30 undergraduates and postgraduates who have access to an on-site study space (currently known as the Lash Library), a spacious communal area, and a large garden.

We aim to convert the site’s chapel into a College Archive Centre; bringing archives together in one specialist space for the first time since the 1960s. The archives previously held at Owlstone Croft have already been moved to the chapel. We are hoping to raise almost £1 million to renovate and secure the space. This will also allow us to bring the collections currently held at the University Library to Grange Road, enabling more students and academics to access our exceptional archive materials.

Owlstone Croft

The College is embarking on an ambitious project to develop Owlstone Croft into the best postgraduate centre in Cambridge, with works scheduled to start in the summer of 2025. This £34 million project was kick-started by an extremely generous initial philanthropic donation.

Owlstone Croft is a short walk from Silver Street and has been home to a large number of Queens' students since 1989.

Development of the site is essential to give our growing postgraduate population a fitting home that truly feels like an integrated part of the College. It will have four new blocks (as illustrated), 60 student study-bedrooms and 87 student rooms. Communal spaces will include a gym, a café, multiple meeting and seminar rooms, a launderette, shared kitchens, as well as landscaped gardens.

The new buildings have been designed to Passivhaus standards and the existing buildings will be refurbished to improve their functionality and thermal performance. The project aims to create spacious, inclusive spaces that replicate the sense of community that works so well at Silver Street - we want to create homes, not just rooms!

As this ambitious project progresses, we will update this page, including about giving and naming opportunities.

Improvements to Fisher Building and Cripps Court will follow these three major projects.