King’s Cross Central

General Public Agency works as a consultant on the public realm for Argent plc at King's Cross Central, London's largest single development site. The public realm strategy grew out of our work for Argent on contemporary characterization of the site, building play, art and landscape into the masterplan.

Derived from a thorough analysis of open space and leisure provision of the wider area and the opportunities for connecting this peninsula site back into the urban fabric of Camden and Islington, we have devised the overall programme and strategy for the character of every public space in the new development. This has involved developing detailed design studies on certain elements of the public realm and briefing landscape designers.

Our strategy and design work was a major part of the recent successful application to the London boroughs of Camden and Islington and was praised in the planning report as delivering "a real step change in the quality of the public realm at King's Cross, with high quality and genuinely public new streets and open spaces". Our detailed design studies for King's Cross include urban home zones, parks, play and art, way-finding and trails, and new uses for the listed Gasholder No 8. We are working as a lead consultant for Argent and have collaborated with other designers and consultants as required for specific elements of the strategy.

DATE: CLIENT:	November 2003 – ongoing Argent (King’s Cross) Ltd.
IMAGES:	1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 Proposal for an Urban Pleasure Garden