I’ve long been an admirer of the development north of King’s Cross which started out with the installation of Central St. Martin’s in the so-called Granary Building. So, I was very pleased to be taken on a walking tour of it by Bob Allies of Allies and Morrison the day after it failed to win this year’s Stirling Prize, a mere 24 years after they began drawing up plans for it. My article below is very closely based on his account of how it came about.
A book about it is being published by Lund Humphries in March which will no doubt give more detail, but I hope I have given the reasons for its success – the way it kept the existing buildings and used the topography of the site so creatively.
It’s a model for European town planners.
I wish it were a model for the City’s planners, but they seem to prefer to knock it down and then pile it up, without any regard for history, topography or the long-term future.
| Charles | Saumarez | Smith | 
Interesting that two of the three aspects you’re not so keen on in your article include a fair bit of Heatherwick
I actually like Coal Drop’s Yard architecturally, just not convinced that it’s the right place for a retail mall. Google tries hard not to be too obtrusive, but is on such a different scale. Charles