Forming the second building in a
twin office development situated in
the middle of Argent’s large King’s
Cross scheme, S1 is a 12-storey
structure offering more than 17,000m2 of
floor space.
Along with its neighbour S2 (see NSC
February 2018), which was completed last
year, both buildings were conceived as a
pair, sharing a number external features.
They both have the same façade finish,
and this visual similarity means that
when looking at the buildings from the
eastern end of Handyside Street, the gap
between the structures is not immediately
visible, and the office blocks appear as one
continuous development.
“King’s Cross is one of today’s templates
for urban placemaking, so our priority,
when asked to contribute two new
buildings to this site, was to develop spaces
that both convey a strong sense of their
own identity and express a relevance to
the public realm,” says Project Architect
Michel Mossessian.
“Sitting alongside each other along
Handyside Street, Buildings S1 and
S2 are linked stylistically: classically
contemporary, they are clad in a textured
black stone that frames them, forming the
mass, while contrasting strongly with the
light of white cavities of the façade.”
The two buildings have also been
designed to look like they have been
pulled apart from one larger mass. On
each structure, the two facing facades
have a series of cantilevering storeyhigh
‘pop-out’ zones and recesses. These
are positioned in a reverse pattern to
their neighbour and this yin and yang
configuration gives the impression the
buildings could also be pushed back
together again.
According to Ramboll Director Simon
Banfield, both buildings were originally
Commercial
18 NSC
Mar 20
Yin and yang towers
Steelwork has been completed on the second of twin
commercial buildings in King’s Cross, that have been designed
to look like they have been pulled apart from each other.
FACT FILE
Building S1, King’s Cross,
London
Main client: Argent
Architect:
Mossessian & Partners
Main contractor:
BAM Construction
Structural engineer:
Ramboll
Steelwork contractor:
Elland Steel Structures
Steel tonnage: 2,400t
/Multi-storey_office_buildings
/Building_S2,_Kings_Cross,_London
/Building_S2,_Kings_Cross,_London
/Facades_and_interfaces