OVERVIEW:
In Kings Cross Camden, our 945 sqm mixed-used proposal seeks to establish strong connections between the street and existing architecture adjacent to the prominent corner site, re-establishing its relationship to the main street. An extended basement and ground floor accommodate new commercial units and ancillary functions, with five residential units provided in the floors above. Provision is made for the potential addition of a further six storeys, futureproofing the function and viability of the project.

COMMUNITY IMPACT/VALUE:
The building’s form , material and composition has emerged following in-depth studies of both the site and the conservation area’s architecture and noteworthy adjacent Listed buildings. The result is a textured facade composed of black brick arches set over two storeys, rising in a softer buff brick of the retrofitted volume above. The arches continue a language established by local light-industrial railway buildings and more recent commercial developments, with the retained taller block maintaining its relationship with the setting.

TECHNICAL INSIGHTS/CHALLENGES:
The extended ground and first floor re-establish the original building line. A strong new urban corner is aligned along Britannia Street and steps back gently along Gray’s Inn Road, reuniting pedestrian routes and framing a mature London Plane Tree. Refined metal detailing of the ground-floor spaces reinforce a warehouse language that continues to the balustrades of the residential loggia above and provides solar shading for the southern elevation.

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS:
New entrances for both new and existing homes replace an isolated fenced-off forecourt, establishing a stronger, more welcoming sense of arrival. At its tallest, the proposed extension extends to nine storeys, a scale similar to surrounding developments further strengthening the site's seamless integration into this preexisting central urban environment.