A new residential development in London’s King Cross incorporates three Grade II-listed, cast iron gasholder guide frames that were originally constructed in 1867. The three residential buildings are housed within the frames at varying heights as a reference to the movement of the original gasholders, which were dismantled and removed in 2001.
The new development provides 145 apartments, a private gym and spa, a business lounge, and an entertainment suite with a screening room, bar reception area, and private dining room. The apartments are accessed through a central courtyard. Each residential drum has its own atrium and core, which are linked by a series of circular walkways.
Courtesy Wilkinson Eyre.
The apartment units make use of the circular shape of the buildings by placing the living rooms and bedrooms at the perimeter where they can receive the most natural light. The pie-shaped configuration of the grid forms open-plan apartments with expansive views and multiple orientations. The buildings’ cladding is composed of modular vertical panels of steel and glass textured with a veil of shutters that can be opened or closed at the touch of a button.
Courtesy Wilkinson Eyre.
A fourth cylindrical volume forms an open courtyard at the center of the development and green roofs help bring nature to the urban landscape.
The project’s design team consisted of Wilkinson Eyre, Jonathan Tuckey Design, and No 12 Studio.
Courtesy Wilkinson Eyre.
Related Stories
Senior Living Design | Jan 10, 2023
8 senior living communities that provide residents with memory care
Here are eight senior living communities that offer their residents memory care, an important service for residents who need this specialized care.
Government Buildings | Jan 9, 2023
Blackstone, Starwood among real estate giants urging President Biden to repurpose unused federal office space for housing
The Real Estate Roundtable, a group including major real estate firms such as Brookfield Properties, Blackstone, Empire State Realty Trust, Starwood Capital, as well as multiple major banks and CRE professional organizations, recently sent a letter to President Joe Biden on the implications of remote work within the federal government.
Multifamily Housing | Jan 9, 2023
New York City advances plan to build 500,000 new housing units
After New York Mayor Eric Adams announced a “Moonshot” plan to build 500,000 new housing units over the next 10 years in early December, he moved quickly to jumpstart the process.
Sustainability | Jan 9, 2023
Innovative solutions emerge to address New York’s new greenhouse gas law
New York City’s Local Law 97, an ambitious climate plan that includes fines for owners of large buildings that don’t significantly reduce carbon emissions, has spawned innovations to address the law’s provisions.
Fire and Life Safety | Jan 9, 2023
Why lithium-ion batteries pose fire safety concerns for buildings
Lithium-ion batteries have become the dominant technology in phones, laptops, scooters, electric bikes, electric vehicles, and large-scale battery energy storage facilities. Here’s what you need to know about the fire safety concerns they pose for building owners and occupants.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 29, 2022
San Jose is largest U.S. city to abolish minimum parking for new housing
San Jose, Calif., recently became the largest U.S. city to strike down minimum parking requirements for new housing development. The city reversed zoning devised in the 1950s that reputedly gave it the worst sprawl of parking space in northern California.
Codes and Standards | Dec 29, 2022
New York City multifamily owners concerned over fires caused by e-bikes
In 2022, there have been nearly 200 fires and six deaths in New York City caused by lithium-ion batteries used in mobility devices such as electric bikes and scooters.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 27, 2022
Traverse Apartments brings 281 sorely needed rental units to the Denver area
Traverse Apartments offers 281 units, designed by KTGY, is located in Lakewood, Colo.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 21, 2022
Bay Area school district builds 122 affordable apartments for faculty and staff
The 122 affordable apartments at 705 Serramonte, Daly City, Calif., were set aside not for faculty and staff at Jefferson Union High School District.
Multifamily Housing | Dec 20, 2022
Brooks + Scarpa-designed apartment provides affordable housing to young people aging out of support facilities
In Venice, Calif., the recently completed Rose Apartments provides affordable housing to young people who age out of youth facilities and often end up living on the street. Designed by Brooks + Scarpa, the four-story, 35-unit mixed-use apartment building will house transitional aged youths.
