Further progress for final stages of London district masterplan

Tenderstream member Allford Hall Monaghan Morris (AHHM) is celebrating the practical completion of 1 Keskidee Square, delivering one of the final pieces of the King’s Cross Central masterplan by Related Argent. Located around the corner from another building designed by AHHM, 10 Lewis Cubitt Square, the ten-storey office building creates over 185,000 sq ft of flexible workspace spread across nine floors of warehouse-like floorplates offering maximum volume, natural light and extensive external amenity – all connected by a staircase visible from each floor.

The mixed-use building fulfils an important civic role due to its prominence on two key new public realm spaces, Keskidee and Chilton Squares. The massing is broken into three distinct blocks, creating an architectural expression that clearly responds to the surrounding context. A series of stepped terraces allows natural light to Chilton Square, while a setback along Canal Reach responds to the natural curvature of the site. At street level, the office entrance activates Keskidee Square, with mixed retail usage engaging with the wider public realm. The facade is a refined assembly of sculpted terracotta sitting atop a heavily expressed concrete plinth. A combination of active and passive measures result in a highly sustainable building, targeting a minimum BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating.

Construction by BAM with executive architects Bennetts Associates started during the March 2020 lockdown, and the entire building was pre-let prior to starting on site. Work will now be commencing on the surrounding landscaping and internal fit out.

Lucy Nordberg
Tenderstream Head of Research

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