In 2022, LandsecU+I and TOWN embarked on an innovative 12-month engagement process with the Cambridge community to collaboratively choose a new, permanent name for the Core Site. Through that process, we have selected the new name for the project: Hartree.
The democratic process involved the active participation of hundreds of local people. It included extensive local research, a collaborative project with Cambridge Regional College to identify and research possible project names, workshops with local stakeholder groups, to understand what local people would like to see in a project name, and a month-long public vote that offered the community the opportunity to decide between a shortlist of options.
The chosen name, Hartree, pays tribute to Eva Hartree, (1873-1947), an inspiring woman who was the first female mayor of Cambridge and a trailblazing champion of gender equality and women’s rights. Eva Hartree’s notable work as the Hon Secretary of Cambridge Women’s Housing Association, dedicated to providing housing for professional women, adds further significance to the name selection.
Ben Cartwright, Development Director at LandsecU+I, said, “Eva Hartree embodied the progressive spirit of Cambridge, which is something that runs through everything we do in creating this new part of the city.
“It feels appropriate that a person who devoted herself to advocating for women’s rights, including the right to vote, was the most popular name for our site and we are so pleased Eva Hartree’s name will now be etched on the map of the city long into the future.”
Frances Wright, Head of Community Partnering at TOWN, added "By honouring Eva Hartree, a trailblazing individual in the city's history, we are not only preserving her legacy but also highlighting the importance of community involvement in shaping the future of our neighbourhoods. Engaging with the community is at the heart of the way we are designing and building Hartree so we are delighted that we have been able to name the project in collaboration with local people.”
The team will continue to work with the community to determine names for other significant elements of the site, as part of a much wider programme of public engagement that is helping shape the project. Have a look at our engagement plans for Summer 2023 here.