Past & Present |
26/10/18
Today Thomas Heatherwick’s Coal Drops Yard retail hub was fully opened to the public. A fascinating renovation that celebrates Victorian architecture and modern engineering.
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The construction revives and unifies a pair of elongated Victorian coal drops which had become derelict. They are connected by a sinuous roof, designed to make it look like the old buildings are physically stretching towards each other. Heatherwick’s concept was to create something that was more that ‘just a mall’. Instead of being a place to buy more ‘stuff’, the Coal Drops Yard is a place to meet and an events space. The joining of the roofs creates a distinct focal point, where you can imagine people arranging to meet. I visited the Coal Drops Yard during London Design festival (without realising it was a Heatherwick Studio project!). I really appreciated the respect for the original architecture. Heatherwick Studio consulted with Historic England to see how various architectural elements from the Victorian period could be retained. The result is completely integrated – original trusses, flooring, paint markings and brackets are preserved. I like the marriage of modern engineering with Victorian ideals. This is something Heatherwick is particularly good at. One of my favourites of his designs is the Bombay Sapphire gin distillery. Another example of taking a disused Victorian building and combining it with impressive modern engineering to create a beautiful space. Two curving glass greenhouses for growing botanicals are seamlessly linked to the Victorian mill buildings. |
Heatherwick heads a multi-award winning design and architecture studio, and his genius can’t be denied. He seems to have mastered great design on any scale – from the ‘Zip Bag’ handbag to the Shanghai arts centre, and designs such as London bus and the Olympic Cauldron that almost every Brit recognises. |
Sources:
http://www.heatherwick.com/
https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/26/thomas-heatherwick-studio-coal-drops-yard-shopping-centre-kings-cross-architecture/
http://www.heatherwick.com/
https://www.dezeen.com/2018/10/26/thomas-heatherwick-studio-coal-drops-yard-shopping-centre-kings-cross-architecture/