Diggers Court Part 1 Project 2025 Bea Gould University of Hertfordshire | UK Diggers Court is a speculative residential scheme rooted in the historical and spatial complexity of St. Albans, exploring the notion of density through layering, community, and sustainability. The project addresses the modern challenge of urban expansion while preserving and enriching communal life by offering 26 high quality living units above a subterranean public realm.Taking inspiration from St. Albans’ Roman history and the 17th-century Diggers movement, which championed the right of all individuals to cultivate the land, the scheme integrates archaeology, architecture, and activism. The shapes of the underground spaces come from catacomb-like forms, housing a communal garden, an aquarium and a multi-purpose auditorium. These spaces form the communal heart of the project as a place to grow food, ideas, and relationships - encouraging a new model of cooperative urban living. Above ground, a series of residential units are arranged to respond to the local character of St. Albans while creating a new typology of urban density - one that prioritises light, space, and communal exchange. The scheme reimagines agricultural practices in constrained urban environments, employing sustainable technologies and solar-powered grow lighting to reduce environmental impact and energy consumption. Tutor(s)