Bell Phillips Architects complete elegant pavilion in Granary Square

London, England

The following description is courtesy of Bell Phillips Architects.

Bell Phillips Architects have completed a new public pavilion at the gateway to Coal Drops Yard completing the south-western corner of Granary Square. Adding value to the surrounding public realm the design incorporates a café, public washrooms and a public lift providing ease of access between Granary Square and Lower Stable Street.

The new single-storey pavilion sits at a pivotal point within the King’s Cross masterplan – bridging between Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard. Set canal-side, just a short walk from King’s Cross station, the pavilion will sit beside the restored railway arches of Coal Drops Yard and an eclectic mix of stores. Designed by Bell Phillips for developers Argent LLP, the design accommodates a 105m2 café and public access toilets.

The spaces within the pavilion have been arranged so that secondary functions such as the toilets and plant are positioned within the depth of the plan, allowing greater activity along its peripheries. The café’s visible presence along the length of the southern façade creates a highly animated facade adjacent to the historic ramp while providing a visual connection to the urban plaza. The lift provides a visual termination to the south-western corner of Granary Square.

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The intricately detailed façade constructed from cast iron as a nod to the site’s industrial past, adds an element of visual delight to the streetscape. In a further nod to the history of King’s Cross the cast-iron façade is designed using an abstracted pattern derived from the molecular arrangement of coal. The façade also functions as a balustrade, offering enclosure to the edge of Granary Square above. The cast-iron pattern reappears again as a motif on the lift shaft, which is illuminated at night to signpost its public function.

Bell Phillips worked closely with the landscape architects, Townshend who designed the urban realm surrounding the pavilion. The roof of the pavilion flows into the southwest corner of Granary Square. The design strategy developed by Townshend, therefore, seeks to integrate with the existing development; their timber benches have been designed to fit with those already in place in Granary Square, while hard landscaping and new planting create a seamless threshold between the two areas.

Sensitivity is a key element of Bell Phillips’ design, both in terms of the historical context and the visual impact. Through the design, Bell Phillips has maintained a strong visual link between Coal Drops Yard and Granary Square, enhancing the usability of the space and assisting with urban wayfinding. The pavilion sits quietly, but appropriately, within the context of the surrounding historic buildings while its subordinate to the historic ramp, underlines the ramp’s spatial importance transforming it into an experiential marker for the route into Coal Drops Yard.

The new pavilion is Bell Phillips Architects’ second public realm project at King’s Cross. The award-winning Gasholder Park – a public green space and contemporary circular pavilion set within the restored guide frame of a Victorian gasholder – is a hugely popular space on the banks of the Regent’s Canal, while a third pavilion by the practice is designed to sit within the emerging landscape of Jellicoe Gardens which is shortly due to commence construction.

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Hari Phillips, director at Bell Phillips Architects said: “The new pavilion has been designed to be a discreet and sensitive, yet delightful addition to the King’sCross area. It provides valuable public facilities and strengthens the ties between Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard.”

Tom Callaway, senior development manager, Argent said: “The redevelopment of King’s Cross has involved the interesting combination of restored historic structures around Granary Square and high-quality contemporary interventions. The Granary Square pavilion fits well within its setting and will contribute to the lively mix of offerings in the immediate area.”

James Ramsden and Sam Herlihy, co-founders of Sons + Daughters said: “We couldn’t be more delighted to have found a home for Sons + Daughters at the Granary Square Pavilion. We’d always envisaged something simple and modern, with clean lines and lots of natural light, so feel quite lucky to be based within the Pavilion.”

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Project Details

Construction started: October 2017
Construction finished: March 2019
Project size: 209 sqm GEA
Architect: Bell Phillips Architects
Landscape Architect: Townshend Landscape Architects
Structural Engineers: Price & Myers LLPM&E
Engineers: Hoare Lea
Civil Engineers: Peter Brett Associates LLP
Lighting Designers: Speirs & Major
Contractor: BAM
Cast iron fabricator: FSE Foundry