Developing Story: Coal Drops Yard pavilion opposed by Anthony Gormley

Images: courtesy of Fathom Architects

At King’s Cross, the site where Coal Drops Yard stands today was originally a working transport link for coal arriving from the North of England, and, much further down the line, playing host to a throng of business units, retail spaces and a nightclub, all of which fell into subsequent ruin.

In the hope of revitalising the existing heritage structure and attracting more profitability to King’s Cross, Camden Council and developer Related Argent initiated a regeneration scheme in 2018. The proposed concept, featuring the landmark’s iconic ‘kissing roofs’, was realised by Heatherwick Studio and has since become a unique shopping enclave renowned for its impressive architecture and curated bill of boutiques and independents.

Following Coal Drops Yard’s initial launch, it became clear that the state-of-the-art leisure district didn’t cater to the budgets of those who had resided in the surrounding neighbourhoods decades before its arrival. Related Argent and the local council reconvened to suggest a new structure; one that would provide commercial brands and food chains to encourage a broader scope of visitors.

“King’s Cross and Coal Drops Yard is a place for everyone and that means we need to provide shopping and dining options that appeal to a wide audience,” stated Anthea Harries, Related Argent’s Asset Management Director for the borough.

London-based firm Fathom Architects was approached to undertake the design of the pavilion, set to be a concentrated hub of economic offerings located in one of the sites’ central courtyards. “The pavilion has been designed to invigorate the open space at the south of Coal Drops Yard by creating a more human scaled, intimate environment,” comments Director Justin Nicholls, speaking to the firm’s proposal, “The design references the heritage of the yard, whilst adopting modern hybrid timber construction methods to minimise steel use and allow for deconstruction and re-use.”

The proposal has been met with considerable pushback. Homeowners fear that the advance on Coal Drops’ ‘yard’ would be to reduce the public space dedicated to the location’s events and enlivenment scheme. Some argue that the pavilion eradicates Britain’s only remaining axis between London and The North, where others contend that incorporating high street names takes away the notability of the place. Artist Anthony Gormley OBE was amongst the many who expressed concerns at the prospective insertion. “It is clear that they [Related Argent] are intending to bring in a lot of mass brands. Fine and useful in their place, but why replicate here what you have in every high street shopping centre these days? We are a short walk to the shopping centre at the Angel where there is already a Uniqlo and many mass market brands available.”

It has been announced that construction plans for the controversial pavilion have been knocked back due to the criticism ensued, both from Gormley and others who want to preserve the exclusivity of Coal Drops Yard.

Here, Chairman of Related Argent, David Partridge responds to the indefinite postponement, “We are pausing the planning application for the proposed Coal Drops Yard Pavilion at King’s Cross to provide time to review the feedback we have received and then evolve the proposals.” He concludes, “We will now continue our engagement locally to help us refine aspects of the design proposals and identify a solution that supports the vibrancy of the area and creates more reasons to visit, at the same time as continuing to respect heritage.”