Islington Kings Cross: Urban Design Framework

Character areas and typologies
The framework masterplan site is diverse in character and at places
undergoing significant change. Most noticeably, York Way is a
dividing line between the new King’s Cross development’s tall residential
buildings (6) to the West and the industrial uses to the East.
Caledonia Road is a dividing line as well between 20th century
residential buildings (notably the Bemerton estate [1]) to the West
and classical Georgian terraced houses of Barnsbury. Caledonia
Road is a high street with Victorian architecture and a strong local
character. The area south of the canal presents primarily employment
typologies, and a number of landmark buildings on Pentonville
Road, such as the Chapter, SOAS university accommodation
and modern office buildings (5). Further East on Pentonville Road
one can still find examples of the building typology characteristic
of its industrial past: several storey residential buildings with single
storey shop and workshop additions.
7. No. 178 Pentonville Road in the 1930s
Source: Temple 2008
4
1
2
Analysis
20
1 2
3
4
5
6
6
26+
21-26
16-20
10-15
21th century residential
Victorian High Street
Post-war estate
Green area
Mixed
Low rise late 20th century
Classical Georgian terraced
3
Late 20th century big block
Mixed warehouse style employment
5
Contemporary high rise mixed use
Early 19th century tall brick
Industrial
Victorian school
Contemporary high rise commercial
Source: Own research and Islington (2018) Tall building study
Source: Own research and Islington (2018) Tall building study