Heatherwick Studio’s Coal Drops Yard in London’s Kings Cross will open on 26 October 2018. Heatherwick Studio has reinvented two heritage rail buildings into a much-anticipated commercial and retail development that is the new home for over 50 stores, restaurants and cafés.
‘My studio has been based in King’s Cross for over 17 years, so it’s been an enormous privilege to reinvent such a locally significant site. These extraordinary buildings were first built in 1850 and have lived an unusually rich past, first serving as infrastructure, then warehousing and offices. To most people, they are famous for having hosted nightclubs for over a decade. We believed there was an opportunity to celebrate the heritage of the existing structures rather than destroy them,’ says Thomas Heatherwick.
A rendering of Coal Drops Yard. Images courtesy ForbesMassie
Coal Drops Yard runs parallel to the existing refurbished building of the Central St Martins School, just off Granary Square and is the latest addition to the area's transformation. Kings Cross is one of the fastest-changing areas in central London. A part of town that used to be formed by neglected, industrial buildings, is now swiftly becoming a buzzing hub for modern offices and state-of-the-art residential blocks, courtesy of its developers, Argent, and a wealth of leading architects and designers, such as Tom Dixon.
A key piece in the Kings Cross development, the scheme for Coal Drops Yards secures the long-term future of the historic Coal Drops buildings in King's Cross, London, which were built in the 1850s to receive freight arriving from the north of England by train; it also provides the large-scale estate with a much needed commercial and retail element.
The existing structure’s previous use was in warehousing and light industry. Now, the revamped Coal Drops Yard will include public space and retail spanning some 9290 square metres, with varied uses from shopping, eating and drinking, and events space.
Heatherwick Studio and Argent's plans for Kings Cross's Coal Drops Yard. Image: Mir
Coal Drops Yard is an essential piece in the wider area's development. Pictured, a masterplan of Kings Cross
-
Each mundane object tells a story at Pace’s tribute to the everydayIn a group exhibition, ‘Monument to the Unimportant’, artists give the seemingly insignificant – from discarded clothes to weeds in cracks – a longer look
-
Discover The Legacy, Hong Kong’s eye-catching new condoThe Legacy, by ACPV Architects Antonio Citterio Patricia Viel, is a striking new condo tower that aims to ‘create a sense of community and solidarity among people’
-
In BDSM biker romance ‘Pillion’, clothes become a medium for ‘fantasy and fetishism’Costume designer Grace Snell breaks down the leather-heavy wardrobe for the Alexander Skarsgård-starring Pillion, which traces a dom/sub relationship between a shy parking attendant and a biker
-
The Architecture Edit: Wallpaper’s houses of the monthFrom wineries-turned-music studios to fire-resistant holiday homes, these are the properties that have most impressed the Wallpaper* editors this month
-
A refreshed 1950s apartment in East London allows for moments of discoveryWith this 1950s apartment redesign, London-based architects Studio Naama wanted to create a residence which reflects the fun and individual nature of the clients
-
In this Cotswolds home, drama meets minimalismCotswolds home Hiaven house, with interiors designed by McLaren Excell, is a perfect blend of contemporary chic and calm, countryside drama
-
David Kohn’s first book, ‘Stages’, is unpredictable, experimental and informativeThe first book on David Kohn Architects focuses on the work of the award-winning London-based practice; ‘Stages’ is an innovative monograph in 12 parts
-
Find solace in the forest at this expansive treehouse retreat in DorsetFor sale for the first time, a treehouse, Mallinson’s Woodland Retreat, is a tribute to the skill of designer and master craftsman Guy Mallinson
-
Modernist Scotland explores the country’s impressive legacy of contemporary architectureA new book, Modernist Scotland, delves into the art and ambitions of the International Style in post-war Scotland, presenting 150 projects that typify an age of optimism and innovation.
-
100 George Street is the new kid on the block in fashionable MaryleboneLondon's newest luxury apartment building brings together a sensitive exterior and thoughtful, 21st-century interiors
-
Take a tour of Retrofit House, the live showcase inspiring sustainable homebuildingRetrofit House, a showcase for residential redesign using biomaterials and environmentally smart methods, opens in Birmingham, UK, spearheaded by Civic Square, Dark Matter Labs and Material Cultures; we paid it a visit
