This new freestanding speculative office building is situated at the southern end of the larger Kings Cross mixed-use redevelopment, an industrial brownfield site north of the major transport hubs of Kings Cross and St Pancras International. Together with the neighbouring listed German Gymnasium, the office building forms the southern tip of the development, overlooking Battle Bridge Place.
The brief called for an office building with a limited height of 38 metres above street level within a narrow footprint of 20 by 46 metres as set by the masterplan. Recognising the prominent position of the building in its context, the design ensures the structure asserts its presence by creating a strong front façade to address the public area of Battle Bridge Place. This front is reinforced by the covered south-facing balconies supported by freestanding cast-iron columns over the double-height loggia, and by the extension of the raised plinth used to reconcile the base of the building with the sloping site.
The reading of the building is rooted in a clear expression of horizontal and vertical elements; the concrete floor plates protrude from the envelope of the building while cast-iron columns strengthen the rhythm and articulation of the building. In total, 396 cast-iron columns stand at regular intervals across the façades, adding character and depth to the post-and-beam construction. A large number of the columns stand proud, defining the balconies and the peristyle of the peripheral loggia. The remaining columns are engaged and form part of the rain screen façade. The façades feature floor-to-ceiling fixed glass panes with narrow hinged panels on either side allowing for natural ventilation. Reminiscent of the site’s industrial past, the columns are made from recycled iron cast at a foundry in Halifax. Classicist in spirit, the columns are patterned with woven straps – a nod to Gottfried Semper’s theory that the process of weaving was essential to the evolution of man-made structures.
Despite the prominence of the south façade, a double-height colonnade defined by freestanding columns surrounds the building on all four sides, providing a sheltered public area and access to the ground floor. The main entrances are situated to the east and west, leading into a double-height lobby lined with Italian Grigio Carnico marble at ground level and white polished plaster above. From here, three lifts finished in blackened stainless steel provide access to the upper storeys of generous floor-to-ceiling height. A pair of central cores define the internal arrangement for the eight office levels, leaving the support-free open spaces of the well-lit floors to be organised by their tenants. Typically each floor measures 655 square metres with an additional 55 square-metre balcony. Articulated as the crown of the building, the top floor enjoys an increased ceiling height and contains the required plant space at the north end. As well as providing office space, the building also houses two commercial units on the ground floor and an entrance for the London Underground on the north-east corner.
Date:2008-2013
Gross floor area:8,200 m²
Client:Argent (King's Cross) Ltd
Architect:David Chipperfield Architects, London
Director:Oliver Ulmer, Andrew Phillips
Project architect:Peter Jurschitzka, Mattias Kunz
Services engineer:Grontmij
Quantity surveyor:Gardiner & Theobald
General contractor:BAM Construction Ltd.
Photography:Rory Gardiner
This office building is located on the south side of the King's Cross mixed-use redevelopment, between King's Cross and St Pancras stations. The brief called for an office building with a narrow (20m x 46m) footprint and a maximum height of 38m above street level.
Situated on a new public square, the volume is visible from all sides, calling for a strong visual identity. The design expresses strong tectonic horizontal and vertical elements: concrete floor plates extend beyond the building's envelope while 396 cast iron columns emphasize and articulate the rhythm of the facades, adding character and depth, and recalling traditional post and beam structures.
The columns stand clear of the rainscreen on the south facade, defining balconies on the upper floors, giving the building a clear 'front' towards the urban square. On the other facades, the columns are engaged and form part of the envelope on the upper floors. Cast by a foundry in Halifax with a surface pattern of woven straps, the columns are both a reminder of the site's industrial past and a nod to Gottfried Semper's theory about the role of weaving in the evolution of man-made structures.
On the ground floor, the facade is recessed to form a double-height colonnade defined by the freestanding iron columns, providing a sheltered public area and access to the ground floor on all sides. The main entrances are on the east and west facades, leading into a double-height lobby lined with Italian black marble at ground level and white polished plaster above. A pair of central cores provides the main structure and defines the internal arrangement for the eight stories of column-free office space, maximizing flexibility for tenants and accessibility for staff and visitors.
Each office floor measures 655m2 with a further 55m2 balcony and a generous floor-to-ceiling height of 3.2m. The top floor is articulated as a 'crown' for the building, with a taller floor-to-ceiling height, and a building plant occupying the north end of the building. The ground floor accommodates two commercial units and an entrance to the Underground on the northeast corner.