Cumbernauld was originally envisioned as the “Town of Tomorrow,” and this joint thesis proposal reinterprets that ambition in response to today’s most pressing challenge: climate change. Re-envisioned as a town driven by circular economy principles, innovation, and renewable energy, Cumbernauld becomes a pilot project founded on the belief that if transformative change is possible here, it is possible anywhere. The proposal actively targets Net Zero 2045 and aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, embedding sustainability throughout the design via a Waste-to-Energy Centre, an Innovation Academy, and a comprehensive Retrofitting Programme. The project is led by Ben McCaffery, who graduated with distinction from the Master of Architecture programme at Robert Gordon University and developed his expertise in sustainability and innovation at Tetra Tech, a science-led global firm specialising in net zero carbon, architecture, and engineering, and Lisa MacRae, a Master of Architecture graduate from Robert Gordon University, recipient of the university’s library prize and a finalist in the RIAS awards, who has taken her passion for sustainable design to the award-winning practice Oberlanders Architects.
