Coal Drops Yard, King’s Cross

Client: Argent LLP
Year: 2021
Location: King's Cross, London

Coal Drops Yard is a redevelopment project in heart of Kings Cross in central London. The area includes two long Victorian warehouses with train viaducts built in the 1850s that were used to receive goods, including coal, arriving by rail from the North of England. The yard has served many purposes over the years even housing London’s biggest rave venue Bagley’s for two decades. Thomas Heatherwick was assigned as the architect to restore and transform these freight rail yards and the surrounding area into a vibrant creative public and retail space.

Studio 29 was appointed by Argent LLP to provide a creative and innovative lighting scheme that enhanced key areas and harmonised with the existing lighting scheme. The goal was to attract more visitors, encourage them to stay longer and increase prominence and visibility of retail and office units. The main challenge for this project was the integration of the proposed lighting scheme into existing infrastructure whilst still maintaining the discerning aesthetics of Coal Drops Yard.

The final lighting scheme successfully satisfies the brief of creating an inviting space that encourages people to spend time there, integrating well technically and aesthetically with the existing building infrastructure and most importantly, complimenting the architecture and allowing pedestrians to fully appreciate the unique character of Coal Drops Yard.