The pseudo-public spaces of Kings Cross

[editor]

Great piece here:

As London evolves, an increasing number of locations are being recreated as pseudo-public spaces. One of these is the 67 acre development at King's Cross, to the north of the station, where former industrial land is being transformed into a new city quarter. As part of this rebirth the development company are keen to encourage the rest of us to see the new King's Cross as a coherent whole, and to position it on our radar for future activity.

One way they're doing this is by offering a King's Cross DIY Walking Tour, which you can skim through on your smartphone (or download an out-of-date version here). I walked a circuit to see what the places chosen and locations visited might reveal about the future of life and leisure in modern London. To be fair, I think the opening paragraph pretty much gave the game away.

"King’s Cross is an extraordinary piece of London; a diverse and exciting destination with places to work, shop, be entertained and call home."

diamond geezer

 

[Lord Camomile]

It's been depressing me for quite some time how there are fewer and fewer places you can go and exist without having to pay for the privilege.

I do wonder when he did the walk though, given just so much was closed.

 

[Lord Camomile]

The top of the viewing platform was so quiet that a couple were making out on the decking, wholly unimpressed that an actual viewer had turned up.

Back when the other viewing platform was still around (ref: no. 21), me and a mate went to have a look after a game of football. I jokingly said very loudly "this is a warning to anyone smooching up there that we're coming up".

Turned out there was someone smooching up there

 

[marty21]

I work nearby, there does seem to be a smooching culture around there not just at the viewing platform . It doesn't feel like London around there ,It's a strange area. Way different from when I first worked in Kings Cross in 1990

 

[Pickman's model]

I work nearby, there does seem to be a smooching culture around there not just at the viewing platform . It doesn't feel like London around there ,It's a strange area. Way different from when I first worked in Kings Cross in 1990

wasn't there something of a smooching culture in the area then?

 

[Lord Camomile]

Way different from when I first worked in Kings Cross in 1990

There was quite the 'smooching culture' around there in the 90s too, if playground taunts of the time were to be believed

 

[Lord Camomile]

wasn't there something of a smooching culture in the area then?

 

[Pickman's model]

There was quite the 'smooching culture' around there in the 90s too, if playground taunts of the time were to be believed

johnny come lately

 

[Lord Camomile]

johnny come lately

Quality takes that little bit longer

 

[marty21]

wasn't there something of a smooching culture in the area then?

Apparently Smooching cost extra