Cambridge, England is growing, but keeping hold of its urban pattern. A shortlist including some of the biggest names in European architecture has been released for a competition to design an urban extension of northwest quarter of the city. The University of Cambridge owns the 346 acre site, which was masterplanned by AECOM and contains seven individual project sites to be designed by different firms.

Each block has different mix of programming, from apartments and community space to shops, a market, and a police station. A school, excluded from the competition and to be built in the future, is also part of the plan. Among the 35 shortlisted teams whittled down from 158 applicants were heavy-hitters like Bjarke Ingels Group, Grimshaw, Wilkinson Eyre Architects, David Chipperfield, and Mecanoo. A separate competition for landscape components includes teams from West 8, Vogt Landscape, and Latz+Partner. Winners for each of the parcels will announced at the end of the summer.