From a provincial red-brick golf club with a modest beauty facility to a purpose-built health, wellness and leisure destination, the Cambridge Country Club has been transformed through a carefully considered surfaces specification. 

Located in Cambourne, South Cambridgeshire, the multi-million-pound redevelopment was conceived as a lifestyle destination for members, families and the wider local community. Interior architect May Fawzy of MF Studio worked closely with RAK Ceramics to specify finishes throughout the project. They’ve combined large-format marble effects, metallic textures, nature-inspired flooring and durable porcelain surfaces that balance hospitality-led luxury with the practical demands of a high-traffic commercial environment.

While the RAK Ceramics also supplied sanitaryware to selected washroom areas, it is the surface specification that defines the overall design language. In the main entrance and reception, large-format Calacatta Gold porcelain tiles establish an immediate sense of permanence and luxury across both walls and floors. Paired with dramatic chandeliers, the marble-effect surfaces give the arrival spaces a distinctly hospitality-led atmosphere while retaining the durability required for a busy leisure destination.

“The selection of finishes was meticulously aligned with the original brief, emphasising the creation of a premium space for club users,” says May Fawzy. “We carefully handpicked materials and textures that not only met our aesthetic aspirations but also embodied enduring quality.”

This balance between aesthetics and performance informed the wider material strategy throughout the club. The project required finishes capable of supporting the everyday demands of a golf, spa, gym, pool, restaurant and retail environment, while still delivering a cohesive visual identity.

In the spa and shower areas, RAK Revive floor tiles contribute to a calmer, more restorative atmosphere. These spaces move away from the more clinical language traditionally associated with leisure environments, instead adopting a softer, residential character aligned with contemporary wellness design.

Elsewhere, the bar and restaurant areas utilise nature-inspired flooring to create a more relaxed setting connected to the surrounding Cambridgeshire landscape. The surfaces help soften the interior experience, encouraging guests to move fluidly between golf, fitness, dining and social spaces throughout the day.

Around the pool and changing areas, the specification shifts again. RAK Detroit metallic-finish tiles introduce a more urban, textured quality, demonstrating how porcelain surfaces can operate as both a durable technical solution and a defining visual feature within wet leisure environments.

The golf shop continues the material consistency seen throughout the project, with porcelain flooring and countertops creating a clean, premium retail setting that aligns with the wider hospitality-led aesthetic.

“Our objective was to source products that seamlessly merged aesthetics with durability,” Fawzy explains. “We pursued a minimalist design infused with a touch of opulence, a quest that led us to the exquisite offerings within the RAK Ceramics collection.”

For RAK Ceramics, the project demonstrates the ever-important role surface specification plays in shaping contemporary commercial interiors. The project demonstrates how a balance between durability and maintenance performance alongside atmosphere and tactility can be created with a carefully considered material palette.

As General Manager Ben Evans comments: “The club was created for the Cambourne community, which until now has lacked anything like it in terms of leisure facilities. It’s quickly become a go-to lifestyle destination for our members and their families.”