King's Cross - events, photos, news, Coal Drops Yard and redevelopment

[editor]

I took a wander around the back of Kings Cross station yesterday and it seems to peppered with bland modern blocks in what appears to be a rather jumbled development, but I did quite like Granary Square by the canal.

Anyone else taken a look around? I loved the new tunnel to the tube.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/big-cro...tennis-in-the-new-granary-square-kings-cross/

 

[editor]

Ooh, I liked this new tunnel.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/walking...-led-lightwall-tunnel-at-kings-cross-station/

 

[marty21]

work near there part of the week, have had a wander around - very nice - I worked in Kings Cross in the early 90s, it is a dramatic change!

 

[editor]

The tunnel is great but the square is another of those nasty, US-style privatised open spaces though.

 

[marty21]

I'm due to be working in one of the new blocks soon

 

[goldenecitrone]

I took a wander around the back of Kings Cross station yesterday and it seems to peppered with bland modern blocks in what appears to be a rather jumbled development, but I did quite like Granary Square by the canal.

Anyone else taken a look around? I loved the new tunnel to the tube.

http://www.urban75.org/blog/big-cro...tennis-in-the-new-granary-square-kings-cross/

Cycle past there most days on my way in to work. It used to be industrial waste land on the right, so a big improvement. Still tons of work going on down there.

 

[marty21]

Ed, there is a whole load of new development that stretches from Kings Cross all the way up York Way to Agar Grove which is practically Camden Town.

 

[editor]

Ed, there is a whole load of new development that stretches from Kings Cross all the way up York Way to Agar Grove which is practically Camden Town.

I know - I walked up there!

 

[Crispy]

Some of the new buildings round there are very nicely made imo. There's a brick apartment building with some fine detailing and glazed brick panels, and I also like the office building with the cast iron columns with the cross-hatch embossed pattern on them.

 

[editor]

Those two are nice. Some are pretty bland though.

 

[Maggot]

I love the fountains there. I could sit and watch them all day.

 

[Eggface]

I took a wander around the back of Kings Cross station yesterday and it seems to peppered with bland modern blocks in what appears to be a rather jumbled development, but I did quite like Granary Square by the canal.

Dear ed - is there any equivalent Kings Cross version of your SEvlondon/Peckham/Brixton pages?

 

[editor]

Dear ed - is there any equivalent Kings Cross version of your SEvlondon/Peckham/Brixton pages?

There's quite a few features on Kings Cross here: http://www.urban75.org/blog/?s=kings+cross

 

[Eggface]

There's quite a few features on Kings Cross here: http://www.urban75.org/blog/?s=kings cross

Many Thanks, I flick between north and south

 

[hash tag]

I love the fountains there. I could sit and watch them all day.

Here you go

 

[Crispy]

I met a man last night who designed the control system for those fountains. They're currently working on a smartphone app that will let you play Snake and Breakout in the square using the grid of water jets as pixels.

 

[marty21]

I am working in the new development a few days a week, it is still a work in progress. Doesn't feel part of Kings X tbh, and it lacks corner shops for smokes, pop and icecream

 

[hash tag]

For your every day items, the two stations are but minutes away from CSM.

 

[marty21]

For your every day items, the two stations are but minutes away from CSM.

Always more expensive at stations

 

[toblerone3]

These are from my most recent eight sets on Kings Cross Central

http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/10/28/gas-holder-number-eight/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/10/19/granary-square/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/stable-street/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/handyside-street/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/st-martins-east-passage-to-york-way/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/kings-cross-central-views-from-goods-way-platform/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/st-pancras-road-construction/
http://kingscrosswalks.wordpress.com/2013/11/07/kings-cross-square/

 

[Nancy_Winks]

wow when you look at the quality development of public space in London you realise how wealthy London is.

 

[toblerone3]

I like the new fountains in Granary Square and it was amazing to see toddlers running around barefoot in the fountains in a public square in Kings Cross. Would not have happened a few years ago with all the glass and syringes lying around. As a long-term resident of Kings Cross the whole zone still feels like a bit of alien visitation. Would be improved once it get scuzzed up a bit. I hope that the private nature of the public spaces will not be tolerated. It needs to be reclaimed.

 

[Crispy]

wow when you look at the quality development of public space in London you realise how wealthy London is.

It bears repeating that none of this is truly "public" space. It's all owned by the developer and they can legally eject you from the area for any reason they see fit.

 

[marty21]

There are table and chairs outside a lot of the blocks and they seem available for all.

 

[Eggface]

It's true, public-private space is a grey area in planning terms and an issue that's rising up the place making agenda, if you'll pardon the jargon. A recent urban design group visiting public-private space around Kings Cross (not Granary square) got moved on by private security for an 'unauthorised gathering'. Twenty or so planners, architects and urban designers are not exactly a hooligan hoard.

 

[Crispy]

There are table and chairs outside a lot of the blocks and they seem available for all.

Sure, so long as you don't do anything "unusual"
Hold a demonstration outside a business? You've got absolutely no right to be there. They don't even need to call the police.

 

[marty21]

Sure, so long as you don't do anything "unusual"
Hold a demonstration outside a business? You've got absolutely no right to be there. They don't even need to call the police.

I know, there are a load of security staff about

 

[toblerone3]

What powers do security staff have in open access pseudo public space?

Can they frogmarch you away if they don't like the look of you. What happens if you resist?

 

[DrRingDing]

The fountains are a great leveller. They often make people drop the grey faced serious London attitude and brings simple joy. Great for people watching.

 

[Belushi]

A rather breathless article in Guardian about the new development, glosses over the issue of private/public space and what 'affordable' housing actually means in Central London http://www.theguardian.com/artandde...kings-cross-can-other-developers-repeat-trick

Saying that I took a stroll around the (massive!) site a few weeks ago and although it's only half finished I came away thinking they'd done a pretty good job. Some bland buildings but some really well designed ones, and there's going to be a good mix of uses.