King’s Cross Central
Capturing the historic power of railways to create a vibrant new urban quarter
Having played a key part in the creation of a high-speed rail link from the Channel Tunnel, Arup led the redesign of its London terminus, the Grade I listed St Pancras station, into a new kind of urban interchange: a landmark retail, hospitality and transport hub.
The repurposing of this landmark Victorian building triggered a wave of investment into the adjacent former railway yards. This area, London’s largest brownfield site, became King’s Cross Central. As well as helping to guide the masterplanning of the new district, our involvement has included the dramatic extension to King’s Cross station, also listed at Grade I, and the adaptation of three key listed buildings from the wider site’s railway past: Coal Drops Yard, the Granary Building (now Central Saint Martins) and the Midland Goods Shed.
From King’s Cross St Pancras underground station, London’s most-used tube station, to the Francis Crick Institute, one of Europe’s largest research laboratories, Arup’s work in the area exemplifies how heritage can be a positive driver for change: a catalyst for economic growth and urban development.
