heatherwick studio has released a new video documenting ‘coal drops yard’, the major shopping district that opened in london earlier this year. the project, which began construction in 2016, breathes new life into a pair of abandoned victorian buildings in the city’s kings cross district. the development’s most distinctive feature is the meeting of two gabled roofs, which form a new upper storey and give the site a central focus.

heatherwick studio coal drops yard
the joining of the structures results in an entirely new upper storey
image © luke hayes | video © heatherwick studio

 

 

the video, which can be viewed at the top of this page, introduces coal drops yard from the point of view of visitors and users, demonstrating how they interact with the space. the complex’s near 60 shops, restaurants, and bars are shown open and bustling with people ahead of the holiday season.

heatherwick studio coal drops yard
paul cocksedge has installed gravity-shifting light artwork within the site’s COS store
image © mark cocksedge | read more on designboom here

 

 

‘these amazing victorian structures were never originally built to be inhabited by hundreds of people, but instead formed part of the sealed-off infrastructure of london,’ said thomas heatherwick when the destination opened. ‘after serving so many varied uses throughout the years, we’ve been excited by the opportunity to use our design thinking to finally open up the site, create new spaces and allow everyone to experience these rich and characterful buildings.’ see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.

heatherwick studio coal drops yard
coal drops yard opened to the public in october 2018