Hele West
Marketing Manager,London
Coal Drops Yard at the heart of King’s Cross, London, has opened to the public following its transformation from a Victorian coal yard into a vibrant new shopping district.
Arup provided heritage, materials, geotechnical, structural and façade services, working alongside Argent, Heatherwick Studio and BAM to bring new life to Coal Drops Yard - now home to over 50 stores, restaurants and cafés, alongside new public spaces.
The project involved the assessment, strengthening and repair of two historic buildings, East and West Coal Drops, one of which is Grade II listed. The team combined conservation expertise with the design and construction of modern features including a new roof, suspended floor, an 8m-tall folded-glass structure and the addition of three new bridges across the yard.
Ensuring that the new additions remained sympathetic to the original site presented many technical challenges, requiring Arup to draw on its range of specialist expertise in both contemporary and historic structures.
