Christ’s College New Court, 24-32 King Street, Cambridge CB1 1LN

Illustration by Andrew Cadey

Sir Denys Lasdun's New Court at Christ's College, Cambridge, completed in 1970, stands as a premier example of Modernist and Brutalist architecture. Affectionately nicknamed "The Typewriter," the building’s exterior is defined by a striking, seven-storey stepped ziggurat configuration. Constructed from sharply defined precast concrete units, the south-facing elevation cascades downward into the college grounds like a series of dramatic terraced strata. The repetitive geometric modules of the individual student study bedrooms create a rhythmic interplay of heavy horizontal lines. These blocks are starkly contrasted by vertical service and plant towers that pierce the roofline to provide strong visual anchors.

Limited first edition print run of 75