The six-story building marks the entrance to the Cambridge North Science & Business Cluster and provides 139,000 square feet of Grade A lab and office space for life sciences, health and deep tech tenants.
HOK has announced the completion of Merlin Place, a purpose-built laboratory and office building in North Cambridge developed by Kadans Science Partner (Kadans), a leading investor in the development of real estate and ecosystems with a dedicated focus on knowledge-intensive sectors.
Designed by HOK’s London studio, the six-story building provides flexible lab and office space between Cambridge Science Park, Cambridge Business Park and St John’s Innovation Park.
Positioned as a gateway to the Cambridge North cluster, Merlin Place is shaped by its triangular site. A rectangular lab wing faces the main route into Cambridge, while a curved workplace wing faces the quieter route to the station. The building’s taller end creates a landmark presence along the route into the Cambridge Science Park, and a premium roof-level office space with an adjacent terrace offers sweeping panoramic views of greater Cambridge.
It is built to accommodate containment level 2 (CL2) wet labs, dry labs, computational space, meeting rooms, offices, a public café and social spaces that open the ground floor to the surrounding community.
Merlin Place is designed for start-ups, scale-ups, researchers and established companies working in life sciences, health and deep tech. Lab and office space can be delivered fully fitted or adapted to support each organization’s research and workplace needs.
“Achieving Practical Completion at Merlin Place marks an exciting chapter in delivering the next generation of research and development facilities within Cambridge North,” said Edward Joslin, development director at Kadans Science Partner. “Coupling the landmark architecture with its prime location also offers tenants unrivaled access both to cutting-edge space and a highly connected ecosystem of pioneering companies. We would like to thank HOK and all those involved in making this such a fantastic project.”
Tenants at Merlin Place gain access to one of Europe’s leading science and technology ecosystems, including research organizations, investors, academic institutions and transport links such as Cambridge North Station.
“The next generation of science buildings is defined by how effectively they enable exchange between disciplines,” said Brian Connolly, principal and regional leader of Science + Technology at HOK. “Merlin Place is designed to support that dynamic, where interaction, adaptability and shared insight become central to how innovation happens.”
The ground-floor café, central meeting rooms and social spaces also support a broader community program. Kadans hosts networking events, workshops and seminars across its European sites to connect tenants with each other and the wider research community.
The project targets BREEAM Excellent certification and is working towards whole-life net-zero carbon. The building is designed to achieve a UK EPC A rating—the highest possible grade for energy efficiency—and includes a green roof, extensive photovoltaic coverage, cycle facilities and electric vehicle charging points. It has also achieved WiredScore Gold certification for digital connectivity.
Merlin Place is the latest addition to Kadans’ European network of more than 30 science clusters. HOK’s London studio led the project through a complex planning process from pre-application through detailed submission, helping to optimize the site’s density and support a larger, more efficient footprint. HOK provided integrated master planning, lab planning, architecture, interior design and sustainable design services. SDC Builders served as principal contractor.