Just in time for the annual Christmas shopping season, Thomas Heatherwick’s brand new retail hub for Kings Cross, Coal Drops Yard, has opened its doors in the British capital. The central London district has seen plenty of changes in the past few years, rising from neglected inner city former-industrial neighbourhood to being hailed as a model for urban regeneration, and this latest addition is set to offer a welcome injection of a retail element to the existing commercial and residential blocks on site.
Heatherwick Studio is behind the complex’s striking design – and the twin set of sweeping roof structures that sit lightly upon the project's existing Victorian brick buildings, ‘kissing’ gently at the very top, creating the development’s visual shorthand. Clad in Welsh slate and placed lightly upon the original structure, this roof can even be taken down, if needed, without affecting the old building’s bones in the least, explains Heatherwick.
Exterior detail of Coal Drops Yard.
The architects carefully studied different models within the typology, from shopping malls to vernacular retail districts, such as traditional souks, in order to create the best possible design and overall layout for Coal Drops Yard. As a result, there is a big variety in retail units, each nestled within the site’s existing brick arches. Larger restaurants are joined by medium sized retailers and small, specialist workshops, all hosted under the same roof in creating a vibrant urban experience. ‘Flow is absolutely key in this type of project’, explains Heatherwick. ‘You want someone to almost unthinkingly move through the space, so finding the right shapes and connections was crucial.’
Argent, the Kings Cross site’s developer, paid special attention in selecting the right retailers for this new London destination; offerings include Paul Smith, MHL by Margaret Howell and Aesop, but also COS and Samsung, who now occupy the flagship post under the roof's peak. The most important element in the equation though, is us: ‘Coal Drops Yard is not about the product, even though this is of course important,’ says Craig White, senior project director for retail at Argent. ‘It is about the human experience and Thomas understands this and has done an outstanding job.’
Aerial view of Coal Drop Yards.
The glazed retail units meet above the public walkway that guides people through the retail hub.
The curving structure brings new shape to the original industrial architecture.
The gabled roof above each of two existing buildings rises up and stretches towards the other, meeting to form a new, single upper storey that gives the project a central focus. The glazed space provides a viewpoint over the development and the city.
One of the storage spaces into which coal was once dropped from wagons on railway tracks above the brick and cast-iron arches will be occupied by shops, cafes and restaurants.
The upper units are a seamless extension to the original architecture.
Timelapse of the building of the roof
INFORMATION
For more information, visit the Heatherwick Studio website
-
Milan Fashion Week Men’s A/W 2025 highlights: Dolce & Gabbana to Emporio ArmaniDespite a reduced schedule, Milan Fashion Week Men’s arrives this weekend with plenty of intrigue, beginning with high-wattage shows from Dolce & Gabbana and Emporio Armani. Wallpaper* fashion features editor Jack Moss reports from Milan
-
Rio Kobayashi’s new furniture bridges eras, shown alongside Fritz Rauh’s midcentury paintings at Blunk SpaceFurniture designer Rio Kobayashi unveils a new series, informed by the paintings of midcentury artist Fritz Rauh, at California’s Blunk Space
-
New York restaurant Locanda Verde’s second outpost will transport you to a different time and placeLocanda Verde’s expansive new Hudson Yards osteria exudes a sophisticated yet intimate atmosphere overflowing with art treasures
-
This elegant infill project slots beautifully into the London streetscapeIn this infill project, a row of garages in Blackheath, south-east London, has been replaced by a contemporary family home by local practice Mailen Design
-
Don’t Move, Improve 2025: the 14 London homes adding design oomph to the everydayThe shortlist for Don’t Move, Improve 2025 has been announced, revealing 14 residential projects across London that add value and pizazz to their inhabitants’ daily lives
-
Space House: explore the brutalist London landmark’s new chapterSpace House, a landmark of brutalist architecture by Richard Seifert & Partners in London’s Covent Garden, is back following a 21st-century redesign by Squire & Partners and developer Seaforth Land
-
Fire-damaged Walworth Town Hall shows off majestic transformationWalworth Town Hall gets a much-needed reimagining by Feix & Merlin, who transformed the heritage building into a contemporary workspace and a hub of its local community in south London
-
Hanif Kara on building materials, the transition from old to new, and a healthy dose of realismHanif Kara, co-founder of structural engineering practice AKT II, discusses building materials and the future of sustainability
-
Year in review: the top 12 houses of 2024, picked by architecture director Ellie StathakiThe top 12 houses of 2024 comprise our finest and most read residential posts of the year, compiled by Wallpaper* architecture & environment director Ellie Stathaki
-
A brutalist garden revived: the case of the Mountbatten House grounds by Studio Knight StokoeTour a brutalist garden redesign by Studio Knight Stokoe at Mountbatten House, a revived classic in Basingstoke, UK
-
An eco-conscious reconfiguration of space revives a London homeAn eco-conscious reimagining of a Victorian terraced home for a growing London family, THISS Studio’s Hartley House offers sustainable, spacious living
