Dense+Green Urban Development
ISBN 978-3-0356-2455-7
ISBN 978-3-0356-2455-7
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We sincerely thank the National Research Foundation
Singapore, the Singapore-ETH Centre, ETH Zurich, and the
Singapore University of Technology and Design for their
generous support, which made this publication possible.
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Table of Contents
Beyond Dense and Green 8
Kees Christiaanse
Founder of KCAP Architects and Planners
Shaping Future Cities 10
Emerging Models of Integrated Urban Development
Dense+Green Dimensions
Exploring Dense and Green Urban Development 50
A Comprehensive Study of Sustainable Integrated Districts
Spatial Performance 50
Social Performance 54
Environmental Performance 57
Ecological Performance 59
Economic Performance 60
A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Research on Future Cities 63
5
Dense+Green Case Studies
One-north 68
Singapore
Master Plan: Zaha Hadid Architects
Spatial Performance 82
Social Performance 88
Environmental Performance 96
Ecological Performance 100
Economic Performance 104
Conclusion 106
Jurong Lake District 108
Singapore
Master Plan: KCAP (Lead), SAA Architects, Arup, S333, Lekker
Spatial Performance 116
Social Performance 124
Environmental Performance 132
Ecological Performance 134
Economic Performance 140
Conclusion 145
Punggol Digital District 148
Singapore
Master Plan: WOHA Architects
Spatial Performance 154
Social Performance 160
Environmental Performance 165
Ecological Performance 165
Economic Performance 168
Conclusion 170
King’s Cross 172
London, United Kingdom
Master Plan: Allies and Morrison, Porphyrios Associates,
and Townshend Landscape Architects
Spatial Performance 182
Social Performance 184
Environmental Performance 187
Ecological Performance 190
Economic Performance 196
Conclusion 198
Zuidas 200
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Master Plan: Amsterdam Urban Planning Council and Pi de Bruijn
of de Architekten
Spatial Performance 211
Social Performance 216
Environmental Performance 222
Ecological Performance 222
Economic Performance 225
Conclusion 227
Quayside 230
Toronto, Canada
Master Plan: Henning Larsen, Alison Brooks Architects,
and Adjaye Associates
Spatial Performance 236
Social Performance 238
Environmental Performance 239
Ecological Performance 239
Economic Performance 246
Conclusion 247
6
Sustainable Integrated Districts in Existing Fabric
The Zurich Example 250
Sacha Menz
Case Studies Altstetten and Albisrieden
Zurich, Switzerland
Spatial Performance 269
Social Performance 270
Environmental and Ecological Performance 272
Governance and Planning Approaches 277
Conclusion 280
Appendix
Bibliography 296
Acknowledgements 303
Contributors 304
Index of Names 309
Subject Index 313
Illustration Credits 317
Dense+Green Outlook
Shaping the Future of Urban Development 286
7
Beyond Dense and Green
I have titled this foreword “Beyond Dense and Green” because
the focus of this third book on Dense and Green has evolved
significantly, moving into what the authors describe as “sustainable
urban districts”. The innovative aspect of this research, compared
with other works on sustainable urban neighbourhoods, lies in its
foundation: a strong emphasis on blue and green infrastructure,
combined with a data-driven approach.
I am very supportive of this focus, as blue and green elements are
crucial components of the public space network, which serves
as a catalyst of urbanity, social cohesion, and interaction. These
elements also contribute significantly to “Aufenthaltsqualität” –
a German term that is challenging to translate but closely aligns
with “placemaking quality”, a key theme in this book.
This focus is especially significant given the current shift from
“simple” urban planning to the more complex realm of integrated
urban development – an emerging discipline that combines
design with data-driven science. Unfortunately, in practice,
traditional urban planning processes often persist, with intuitive
and political decisions prevailing over those based on evidence.
This book makes an especially valuable contribution by
developing viable methodologies to address the complexity
inherent in integrated urban development processes.
Since Jane Jacobs’s groundbreaking empirical research on
diverse, mixed-use neighbourhoods – still highly relevant
65 years later, as evidenced by the many references in this book –
the validation of factors such as population density, length of stay,
and pedestrian movement in the case studies, as well as the
consideration of environmental and ecosystem dynamics, offers
an important new set of parameters for designers, researchers,
politicians, and stakeholders alike.
In other words, this book provides a clear and balanced
methodology for transitioning from the still widely practised,
Jacobs-inspired empirical approach to a digital-complexity
analysis. It does so without diminishing the value of the
former and without compromising the importance of the
design discipline.
8
As the principal investigator of two previous research projects
at the Future Cities Laboratory – the “Urban Breeding Grounds”
project, which focused on the transformation of diverse urban
neighbourhoods in Southeast Asia, and the “Grand Projet” analysis,
which explored urban megaprojects, including developments
also analysed in this publication, like King’s Cross and Jurong Lake
District – I greatly appreciate the complementarity and evolution
in research methods that this book brings.
In the Urban Breeding Grounds research, our chair focused on
urban transformation influenced by gentrification processes,
drawing clear inspiration from Jane Jacobs’s text, “The Self-
Destruction of Diversity”. In the Grand Projet investigation,
we aimed to understand the creation and impact of large urban
projects, exploring themes such as conception, design,
implementation, operation, and long-term implications. Together,
these two research projects concentrated on the dynamics
of transformation and development processes, emphasizing
historical layering as a key source of urban identity.
However, after engaging with the thorough and compelling
research presented in this book, I feel reassured and am eager to
apply these findings in practice.
Kees Christiaanse
Zurich, January 2025
Kees Christiaanse founded KCAP Architects & Planners in 1989
after working at OMA. He was a full professor of Urban Design
at TU Berlin (1996-2003) and at ETH Zurich (2003-2018),
where he also led the Future Cities Laboratory in Singapore.
He is now a distinguished affiliated professor at TU Munich
and founded the Swiss Network with Ukraine in 2022,
focusing on reconstruction efforts.
As a practising master planner of the Jurong Lake District in
Singapore, I am impressed by how the authors have successfully
translated their real-time research of built districts into the
assessment of projects that have yet to be realized. This approach
represents a significant enrichment and innovation for validating
future urban design visions.
In contrast, the book focuses on the current state of urban
environments, evaluating also “soft categories” like urban
liveliness, spatial cognition, socio-spatial integration, communitybuilding,
and urban vibrancy. This aspect of the research is
particularly innovative, as it effectively establishes a set of scientific
metrics to describe these more intangible elements. Additionally,
it takes an equally novel approach in addressing physical aspects
such as spatial networks, mobility, programmatic activity,
and environmental, ecological, and economic performance, using
a comprehensive metric-based analysis.
Given the inherent complexity of urban environments and
development processes, which under human intervention often
becomes “complicatedness”, I frequently find myself questioning,
especially when navigating the chaos of a convoluted project,
whether the sophistication of digital operation methods and
digital twins for integrated urban development might exceed our
human capacity to manage such complexity.
9
DENSE GREEN
CASE STUDIES
One-north, Singapore
Master Plan: Zaha Hadid Architects
Landscape: ICN Design
Developer: JTC Corporation Singapore
Building Types: Research and
Development (R&D) facilities,
offices, educational institutions,
residential developments, retail and
lifestyle amenities, incubators and
start-up spaces, medical facilities,
media studios
Climate Zone: Tropical wet
Location: Queenstown, Singapore
Coordinates:
1° 17’ 56.4” N – 103° 47’ 13.2” E
Date: Ongoing (Master Plan 2003)
Site Area: Approximately 2 km 2
(200 hectares)
Vibrant, high-tech research and business
park planned and designed to foster
innovation and entrepreneurship, housing
a dynamic blend of research facilities,
business spaces, and residential areas.
Ground coverage in one-north district and its context
Grey
landscape 12.1%
Road 22.3%
Building
footprint 18.1%
Future
development 17.2%
Green
landscape 25.1%
Park 5.3%
One-north is a research and business park in Singapore that
was planned as a hub for innovation and urban technology
test-bedding. Developed by the Jurong Trade Corporation (JTC),
the 200-hectare development houses corporations, start-ups,
and emerging industries in sectors including biomedical
sciences, info-communications technology, media, science,
and engineering. The district also comprises residential
programmes in large apartment buildings as well as colonial-era
houses. Based on a master plan by Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA)
from 2003, one-north aims to provide a vibrant work, live, play,
and learn environment.
The district includes eight distinct precincts: Biopolis, Fusionopolis,
Mediapolis, Vista, LaunchPad @ one-north, Nepal Hill,
Rochester Park, and Wessex. A linear green space, one-north
Park, connects the whole development and follows the site’s
undulating topography. The Rail Corridor – a former railway
line that is currently being converted into a vibrant urban green
connector – borders on the district in the north.
0 200 500 m
Precincts and parcels
0 100 200
500 m
P3 P4
P5
P6
P7
P11
one-north Park
Biopolis
Fusionopolis
Mediapolis
Vista
LaunchPad
Nepal Hill
Wessex
Ayer Rajah
Background
Named after its equatorial location, one-north was conceived by
the Singapore Government in 1998 under the Technopreneurship
21 (T21) programme as a technological, start-up, and science
hub. It follows the city-state’s 1991 Concept Plan that demarcated
Singapore’s Buona Vista area as a sub-regional centre and
development zone. One-north provides a north–south ‘technological
corridor’ and a connection for the adjacent districts of Holland
Village and Pasir Panjang. It also links the city centre with
the district of Jurong via the East-West and the Circle Mass
Rapid Transit (MRT) lines. Based on a work-live-play-learn
approach, the development integrates research, technology,
media, commercial, retail, and residential land uses.
A “co-location of industry and academia, public as well as
private sectors comprising multidisciplinary researchers,
technopreneurs, scientists, and venture capitalists was meant
to foster creativity and risk-taking with synergies and a culture
of collaboration. A one-north steering committee comprising
of government and industry stakeholders served to guide the
planning of one-north until 2006”. 1
The district consists of three main clusters and smaller precincts
with public parks and green spaces. The three main clusters are
Biopolis (biomedical and life sciences), Fusionopolis (infocomm
technology, media, science, and engineering), and Mediapolis
(infocomm technology and media). The smaller precincts are
68
One-north, Singapore, isometric and aerial view.
69
One-north, Singapore, aerial views.
70
Vista (mixed-use and retail), Nepal Hill (talent development),
Wessex (residential), LaunchPad (start-ups and incubators),
and Ayer Rajah (emerging industries).
Land use in one-north and its urban context
Urban Policy and Land Use Strategy
The strategic planning, design, and construction of the majority
of one-north unfolded progressively between 2001 and 2015,
laying the foundation for an integrated innovation hub. Four key
strategies – providing mixed-use programmes, connectivity,
rejuvenation, and identity – were applied in the planning of
the district in response to the prevalent isolated and largely
interiorized Singapore science and business parks of the 1980s
and 90s. The new district’s site was organized in flexible
‘white zoning’ parcels (i.e. designated for commercial, hotel,
residential, sports and recreational use, or a combination of such
uses) 2 and connected through IT, transport, pedestrian, social,
and business networks. 3 This approach to land use introduced
a more flexible, mixed-use character to land parcels, while
the intentional conservation and adaptive re-use of the existing
British colonial-era barracks and living quarters – namely,
Rochester Park, Wessex Estate, Nepal Estate, Slim Barracks,
and Colbar – served as a counterpoint to the scale and spatial
patterns of one-north’s newly planned high-density built
environment. 4
Figure 01-01 one-north masterplan, Zaha Hadid Architects
(Permission and Hi-res image to be obtained)
0 1 2 km
Park
Reserve site
Open space
Waterbody
Business park
Commercial
Educational institution
Health & medical care
Residential
White zoning
Design Competition and Master Plan
The development guidelines for one-north encouraged diverse
and creative architectural responses to a main urban morphology.
A review panel that included local and international planning and
design experts vetted all proposals.
Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) won the one-north master plan
design competition with a proposal that promoted a morphological
“flexibility without chaos” and was meant to create a distinct
visual identity for the district inspired by the existing undulating
topography of small knolls on the site by generating an
“artificial landscape formation” through a “spatial repertoire
and morphology of natural landscape formations”. 5 A gentle,
controlled undulation in building heights with a continuous
‘roof carpet’ provided visual coherence to different building
typologies, shapes, and sizes at the urban scale. 6 A study of the
evolution of design sketches shows that the master plan consists
of various layers: 1. a deformed grid and axial lines that were
extrapolated from existing circulation and neighbouring urban
form; 2. disparate, curved circulatory lines that intersect with one
another as well as connecting hubs within and outside of the site;
3. a green spine that flows through the entire site; and 4. land
parcels that infill the spaces between these elements.
The development served as a test bed for the flexible design of
land uses, road sizes, as well as building and planting typologies
and setbacks that deviated from the conventional planning
of similar districts in Singapore at that time. The one-north
master plan addressed spatial integration and proposed vibrant
interaction spaces with multiple unique pockets created from
alleys, thoroughfares, squares, and walkways, interspersed with
waterbodies and greenery. 7
Zaha Hadid Architects, one-north master plan, 2003.
71
Cluster Characteristics
Biopolis was designed as a walkable and cyclable environment
with few large roads. 8 The underlying traffic calming strategies
include non-standard road sections and honed cobblestone roads,
as well as reduced kerb heights for ease of pedestrian crossings.
Reduced setbacks and minimal green buffers allow buildings that
are closer to the street edge and shaded walkways. The addition
of narrow public spaces between high-density buildings of
various forms and volumes increased spatial complexity and
allow for community interactions, while building linkways on
elevated levels provide additional circulation.
The original design of Fusionopolis featured further distinctive
spatial elements. However, due to changes in Singapore’s
planning guidelines that responded to terrorism at that time,
many of them were not implemented. The current layout
of the site is based on a typical road grid and larger, regular plot
parcels and setbacks while mixed-use and white zoning parcels
were retained, and stepped building heights were followed.
Today, the main buildings of Fusionopolis include 1. Innovis,
Kinesis, Synthesis, 2. Solaris, 3. Nexus@one-north, 4. Sandcrawler,
and 5. Galaxis. The Mediapolis site features infocomm and
media developments, including the Infinite Studio Buildings.
Landscape Design
A main planning strategy for retaining the undulating topography
and green spaces of one-north was to encourage ‘porosity’
of circulation towards one-north Park, which weaves through
the district. It is noteworthy that prior to the construction of
one-north, the site measured on average 1°C cooler than other
sites in Singapore because of its extensive greenery. Over 300
existing trees of horticultural or visual value were therefore
conserved as ‘heritage trees’, and any tree removal was
pre-conditioned with a 1:3 indigenous tree replacement ratio.
This ratio was eventually reduced by increasing the height
level of planting, favouring vertical greening.
Eric Parry Architects/RSP Architects Planners & Engineers, Wilmar HQ, 2021, aerial views.
The landscape concept for one-north was developed by the
National Parks Board (NParks) Singapore and designed by
Henry Steed of ICN Design International. Conceptually inspired
by ZHA’s original master plan, it favoured flexibility, growth,
and flow of the green spaces. A core challenge for the landscape
designers was to allow for the continuity of the park parcels as
they were located at differing heights and separated by roads.
Ramps and approaches, as well as continuity to neighbourhoods,
buildings, and pedestrian crossings were carefully considered.
Further, an ‘evolutionary design’ approach was taken to the overall
concept including one-north Park. The evolution of the latter
happened in two phases: initially constructed only as a topography,
paths, connections, and limited facilities, the eventual increase
in users would prompt the next phase with “the addition of park
features, artworks, water features, outdoor catering and
recreation facilities, fitness installations, spaces for community
events, and commercial outlets”. 9
Building Clusters and Architecture
The three primary building clusters within one-north – Biopolis,
Fusionopolis, and Mediapolis – are dedicated hubs for bioscience,
information technology and engineering, and media broadcasting
programmes, respectively, while Vista/Rochester serves
72
as a centre for lifestyle business support. The clusters and
building names throughout the district are portmanteaus that
reflect these.
Biopolis was constructed in five phases from 2004 to 2011:
1. Nanos, Genome, Helios, Chromos, Proteos, Matrix,
and Centros; 2. Neuros and Immunos; 3. Synapse and Amnios;
4. Metropolis; and 5. Nucleus. Phase 6, the construction of
the 12-storey Elementum Building that will comprise 2,000 m 2
of laboratory spaces and 6,000 m 2 of office and retail space,
commenced in 2019. The project is anticipated to reach completion
by the year 2024.
Fusionopolis was realized from 2008 to 2014 in five phases:
1. Connexis South and North, and Symbiosis; 2A. Innovis, Kinesis
and Synthesis; 2B. Solaris; 3. Nexus@one-north; 4. Sandcrawler
and 5. Galaxis. The Vista Cluster, one-north Residences,
The Rochester, and Star Vista were completed in 2009, 2011,
and 2012; Mediapolis in 2015, and GSK Asia in 2017.
Most of the buildings in one-north fall into one of the following
two categories: ‘spatially layered’ buildings that are based on
biophilic and bioclimatic design approaches and more traditional
podium-tower blocks with interconnected atria.
Biophilic and Bioclimatic Architecture
Buildings such as GSK Asia House, Sandcrawler, Solaris,
Star Vista, and Wilmar HQ are examples of ‘spatially layered’
design, where different spaces are innovatively stacked or
overlapped to form multi-level structures. These architectural
features not only demonstrate complex spatial organization
but also address the local tropical climate. They incorporate
design elements like shaded, naturally ventilated spaces,
and biophilic gardens and terraces, blending functionality with
environmental responsiveness.
GSK Asia House
GSK Asia House by Hassell Studio is the Asian headquarters
of the international pharmaceutical company GSK. To enable
designing the building ‘inside-out’, workshops with employee
groups were conducted during the process. The building features
a steel-and-glass façade with triangular sun-shading brise-soleils
that are punctuated by terraced open-air garden spaces. It is
supported by triangular structural columns and provides a doubleheight,
shaded street-level walkway.
The cascading balcony gardens include seating areas that
complement landscaped spaces both on the ground level and
within the building that feature a total of 60,000 plants and trees.
The overall visual transparency of the building provides the
experience of a climatic biome of external greenery from floor
plates which connect to and separate from the structural skin.
The spatial definition of the building is accentuated by a naturally
lit central atrium that serves as a focal point for the U-shaped
circulation. Escalators adjacent to the atrium circulate to the
upper levels, where office spaces, also naturally lit, with more
than 800 ‘collaboration seats’ and 500 ‘ergonomic work points’
wrap around the main circulation. 10
10 Solaris
Also known as “Fusionopolis Phase 2B”, Solaris by the Malaysian
architecture firm T. R. Hamzah & Yeang was built next to one-north
Park. On the exterior, the building provides a 1.5-km-long spiral
ramp including tiered gardens that ascend all the way to the roof,
thus creating a continuous ecological infrastructure. Internally,
two tower blocks are split by a naturally lit and ventilated atrium.
A diagonal space with internal plantings in Tower A creates a
‘solar shaft’ and provides light, air, and views. Skybridges connect
the upper-level office floors. Computational fluid dynamicsbased
analyses were used to optimize the thermal conditions and
the wind speed in the atrium.
The building achieves over 100% of site landscape replacement
with more than 8,000 m 2 of landscaping that is also used for
rainwater recycling. 11 The design of the deep sun-shading louvres
of the façade is based on analyses of the local sun-paths.
Solaris exceeds Singapore’s BCA’s GreenMark Platinum rating
with a reduction of over 33% in overall energy consumption
compared with conventional buildings that were completed at
the same time. 12
Sandcrawler
Originally designed to house Lucasfilm and other media
technology companies, the design of Sandcrawler relates to
the urban context with a continuation of one-north Park into the
building. The structure provides large primary connections to
Central Exchange and smaller secondary ones externally and
internally through its site. The building ‘sandwiches’ a theatre
space at the mid-level between office floors, while its civic
courtyard connection ramps up from the ground above the retail
and lobby spaces. Multiple tiered reflection pools, landscaped
mounds, water rills, dense tropical forest-like plantings,
and raised terraces with paths and staircases are encapsulated
by the overall U-shaped plan, resulting in most spaces being
orientated towards the building’s lush central courtyard.
Wilmar HQ
The Wilmar HQ building by Eric Parry Architects and RSP
Architects Planners & Engineers features 19,500 m 2 of office
space on seven levels above ground and two below with
programmes that include a research laboratory, an auditorium,
a staff cafeteria, a café, a gym, and a jogging track on the
rooftop. The façade features protruding terracotta fins on each
level to protect the inside of the building from solar gain, glare,
and downpours while providing passive cooling. A large skylight
in the centre admits natural lighting for the office spaces.
The overall biophilic form is defined by a series of tiered terraces
with lush gardens that serve as balconies to adjacent office
spaces. A landscaped garden space on the ground level, open
24 hours as a public thoroughfare between Biopolis Road and
one-north Park, takes up almost half of the site. The landscape
design fosters biological diversity through creating ecological
habitats and biomes. Overall, the number of trees on site was
increased by 70% compared with before construction started. 13
73
GSK Asia House.
Wilmar HQ.
Solaris.
Star Vista.
Sandcrawler.
Elementum.
74
Star Vista
Star Vista is situated at the northern edge of one-north, next to
the Buona Vista MRT station, Buona Vista Park, and the Holland
and Ghim Moh residential estates. Designed by Andrew Bromberg
of Aedas, the building integrates a civic and cultural node with
food-and-beverage (F&B) and retail programmes. A 5,000-seat
auditorium on the upper levels of the building is supported
by five-storey-tall round pilotis and perched atop glassed retail
volumes that are connected by U-shaped, shaded, naturally
ventilated walkways. Steps that also serve as seating draw
pedestrian traffic down from grade into an open central atrium
on a lower level. The ‘layered’ circulation of the building connects
the atrium space including through escalators and walkways
on several levels, leading up to the upper-level civic spaces
and auditorium.
The civic layer features a four-storey continuous footpath
ramp that includes social break-out spaces and small gardens.
Star Vista’s design radically differs from that of other retail
malls in Singapore that are largely fully air-conditioned. It is
characterized by common spaces with shaded retail walkways
and atria, porosity to allow for cross-ventilation, and it features
fresh air blowers, large ceiling fans, and internal waterbodies with
greenery for evaporative cooling to respond to the tropical climate
of Singapore.
Elementum
Elementum, a 12-storey biomedical research hub, is a collaborative
architectural endeavour by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and DCA
Architects, commissioned by Ho Bee Land. Positioned alongside
the 24-km Rail Corridor, the building is distinguished by its
U-shaped design, featuring terraced balconies with landscaping
that cascades from the upper levels, encircling a 900 m 2 garden
atop its podium. A standout feature is its naturally ventilated and
daylit atrium, which transitions into a community-centric space.
This includes a publicly accessible amphitheatre, playground, and
stepping gardens, seamlessly integrating with the Rail Corridor
and fostering a dynamic interaction between the building and its
surrounding environment.
Tower Blocks and Podiums with Interconnected Atria
The second prevalent building type in one-north are podiumtower
blocks with interconnected atria. This type mostly features
typical office windows and spandrel-glazing façades. It includes
interconnected outdoor spaces with view corridors. The urban
connecting walkways and retail malls of many of the buildings
serve as common spaces, while the towers mostly contain office
space. Skybridges connect many buildings, resulting in clusters
that allow for occupants to come together, thus fostering
collaboration. 14 Some sites had a land sales tender requirement
for sky gardens, resulting in mid-level pocket or linear break-out
spaces with greenery. Several buildings also feature naturally lit
atria, solar panels, and rainwater harvesting components.
The building phases and clusters included in our one-north case
study are: 1. Fusionopolis: Connexis North, South and Symbiosis,
and 5. Galaxis; 2A. Innovis, Kinesis, Synthesis; 3. Fusionopolis:
Nexus@one-north, Mediapolis; and 4. the Vista Cluster, including
Metropolis, one-north Residences, and One Rochester Mall,
as well as the Razer Building. The Fusionopolis clusters serve
as research test-bedding for Singapore’s Agency for Science,
Technology and Research (A*STAR), as well as other public and
private research and development companies.
Fusionopolis Phase 1 (Connexis South, North and Symbiosis)
and Phase 5 (Galaxis)
Located above the one-north MRT station and close to the
Ayer Rajah start-up and manufacturing area, Fusionopolis Phase 1
serves as a public transit node. The dense urban form, designed
by Kisho Kurokawa Architects, consists of three buildings with
a total GFA of about 120,000 m 2 . Fusionopolis Phase 5, designed
by Aedas, features two towers that are connected by a podium.
All buildings share a ground-level common plaza close to and with
spatial connections at ground and podium levels.
Connexis and Symbiosis house infocomm media technology and
research companies. The three towers range from 22 to 24 storeys.
They are connected by skybridges, a retail podium, and the
spherical volume of the Genexis Theatre at Level 5. The structural
design by architectural engineering firm Arup minimized columns
with cantilever transfer trusses and perimeter trusses to every
seven storeys. There are six basement levels with food, retail,
and car parks that connect to the one-north MRT station.
Conceptually, the architects defined ‘cracks’ in the building
volumes to create streets and atria on the ground level. Linkages
such as escalators and stairways have glass roofs, allowing
natural light to reach the basement levels. The development
responds to Singapore’s tropical climate and Green Mark rating
requirements with special façade glazing, permeable groundlevel
paving for water recycling, and solar panels.
Galaxis is a 17-storey office development with a GFA of
approximately 50,000 m 2 . Its massing consists of two blocks,
an east and a west tower, that are placed on top of a five-storey
podium with 34 work-live lofts ranging from 37 to 83 m 2 and
two-storey food-and-beverage as well as retail units on a total
area of approximately 4,100 m 2 . 15
Fusionopolis Phase 2A: Innovis, Synthesis, Kinesis
Fusionopolis Phase 2A consists of Innovis, Synthesis, and Kinesis
and was designed by P&T Group. It is a research facility housed
in two building clusters that are separated by a landscaped plaza,
which also provides a connection to one-north Park. Two office
towers, the 18-storey Innovis and the 11-storey Kinesis, are in the
south. Synthesis, a five-storey cleanroom block, is in the north
of the site. All buildings feature pocket sky and roof gardens.
A lifted block volume connects the tall towers and allows for the
ventilation of the plaza.
Mediapolis
The design of Mediapolis by Maki and Associates echoes the
Japanese architecture firm’s Metabolist origins. Its monumental
form is entirely clad in machined steel. With a footprint of
approximately 15,000 m 2 , the building features 12 levels above
and four below ground. It has a GFA of approximately 118,000
m 2 and is visually divided into three main functional spaces:
1. a 1,600-seat performing arts theatre, 2. a broadcast centre,
and 3. Mediacorp’s corporate offices. These spaces are clearly
defined by volumes that form a gap serving as a gateway as
well as a view corridor for a pedestrian spine and a public plaza.
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The main staircase has 50 steps to commemorate Singapore’s
50th anniversary as an independent nation in 2015, the year
of the building’s completion. The staircase leads to a publicly
accessible park on top of the ground-level car park volume with
landscaping that conceals mechanical vents and protrusions.
Cafés, restaurants, and retail programmes are shaded by the
main building and are orientated towards the park that was
designed as a green viewing plateau. The park features multiple
staircases that lead down to the ground level. Skylights provide
natural lighting in the large atrium lobby below. 16
Metropolis
Connexis, Symbiosis.
Designed by DCA Architects and completed in 2013, Metropolis
consists of two tower blocks with a ground-level retail mall
situated near the Biopolis Cluster and the Buona Vista MRT station.
Glazed cubic towers enclose rectangular floor plates with central
lift cores that comprise an area of approximately 3,000 m 2 .
Mid-level sky gardens, resulting from a site development
requirement in the Land Sales tender, interrupt the continuity of
the façades and provide a series of break-out spaces and greenery.
Nexus@one-north
Fusionopolis Phase 3 was named “Nexus@one-north”.
The development includes office and business park spaces for
media technology, science, and engineering research and
development industries. Completed in September 2013, its two
six-storey curved blocks are linked by a central plaza and a bridge
garden. The approximately 5 m height of the first floor allows
for large, shaded walkways and ground-level cross-ventilation.
Razer SEA HQ
Galaxis.
Inspired by a computer processing unit in action, the design of the
headquarters of Singaporean gaming and lifestyle company Razer
features a grey-and-green façade, aluminium cladding, and LED
bands. A design-build joint-venture with Boustead Projects, the
seven-storey monolithic massing has a footprint of approximately
6,400 m 2 and a GFA of 19,000 m 2 , with 16,000 m 2 for a business
park and 3,000 m 2 for commercial office programmes. The roof
over the ground-level parking and drop-off serves as a landscaped
courtyard that is surrounded by the publicly accessible circulation
of the C-shaped buildings. Green Mark-measures include solar
panels and internal sensor-activated lights. The massing ‘peels’ at
ground level to provide for a shaded walkway and entrance zone
amidst a landscaped street setback. 17
The Rochester
Innovis, Synthesis, Kinesis.
Designed by Tange Associates, The Rochester comprises
a hotel as well as serviced residential and office blocks on
top of a five-storey podium with retail and car park spaces.
The development covers an area of approximately 14,000 m 2
and has a GFA of 72,000 m 2 on 38 floors and one basement.
In their design, the architects aimed to “balance technological
innovation with the natural, human element” in the master plan
concept. The hotel and the residential towers form a ‘gateway’
for the pedestrian linkage to the Buona Vista MRT station.
The lower podia on pilotis react to adjacent historic black-andwhite
bungalows and preserves sky views and park edges.
The façades of the towers feature materials that are like those of
the Biopolis Cluster. 18
76
Mediapolis.
Razer SEA HQ.
Metropolis.
The Rochester.
Nexus.
One-north Residences.
77
One-north, control cases and subsites
One-north Residences
The one-north Residences are nine-, 13-, and 15-storey residential
apartment buildings with sloped roofs and a total of 405 units.
The development bridges between existing colonial-era barracks
at the new one-north Gateway. Its massing surrounds a
landscaped courtyard with pools and waterbodies, and opens as
a view corridor towards one-north Park. Ground-level commercial
and retail units are orientated to a plaza with a linear water feature
that is publicly accessible during all hours and acts as a connector
from one-north Nepal Park.
Control Cases and Subsites
Planning subzone
Kent Ridge
District
Science Park I
Science Park II
Subsite
Science Park Ascent
Queenstown planning area
In evaluating the effectiveness of one-north as an integrated
district, we conducted comparative studies of earlier planned
developments, namely Science Park I, Science Park II,
and Kent Ridge, all situated within Singapore’s Queenstown
planning area. These control cases were selected due to their
proximity and comparable urban context, minimizing external
environmental variables.
Our study of social performance examined social integration
in one-north, utilizing Kent Ridge as a control case due to its
similar urban demographic composition and vicinity. This proximity
ensured minimal distortions caused by differing urban environments.
Both districts, being near major educational institutions like
the National University of Singapore and the Singapore Institute
of Technology, offer a unique context of young professional
demographics and high-tech industry presence.
In terms of urban vibrancy, we compared one-north with
Science Park I and II. The latter, developed prior to one-north,
primarily serves business functions, making them suitable
for analysing the emergence of social hotspots and land use
integration. Queenstown, characterized by a diverse mix of
residential, educational, and business land uses, provided a
comprehensive baseline for this analysis.
Our study of economic performance focused on the mobility
patterns of employees and their interaction with urban spaces
in one-north versus Science Parks I and II, which share similar
economic functions. This study utilized a methodology designed
to analyse the spatial structure of districts and to understand
the ‘living room’ effect, a concept referring to the creation of
spaces that enhance comfort and psychological well-being
for inhabitants.
For our investigation of spatial and environmental performance,
we chose Science Park I as a control case. Our studies
assessed people movement, spatial and visual experiences,
and parameters such as outdoor thermal comfort and ecological
connectivity. Given the significant scale difference between
the districts, a methodological approach was adopted that
concentrated on comparable subsites within each district.
This facilitated a focused analysis of urban characteristics and
localized phenomena, avoiding the complexities introduced
by larger scale variances. Consequently, Science Park Ascent,
a subsection of Science Park I, was chosen for comparative
analysis with corresponding subsections in one-north,
enabling a detailed evaluation of architecture, urban design,
and environmental performance.
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We chose three subsites with a 400 m radius in one-north.
The first two, Fusionopolis and Biopolis, are compact,
high-density building clusters while the third, Mediapolis, is less
compact and of lower density.
Biopolis
Biopolis
The 14.66-hectare subsite primarily consists of biomedical
industries and offices. Its layout is characterized by ‘flowing’
building forms that are divided by the district’s network of roads
as well as a series of smaller plazas and courtyards. The subsite’s
building massing allows for cross-ventilation and view corridors.
It was planned and designed to encourage walking, with low
footpath heights and reduced building setbacks that provide
shaded streets of a comfortable scale. 19 Skybridges connect
some of the buildings at higher levels to provide additional
walking convenience.
Fusionopolis
Fusionopolis
The 14.67-hectare subsite includes retail, commerce, offices,
and the underground one-north MRT station. Important buildings
include Connexis, designed by Kisho Kurokawa; Sandcrawler,
designed by Aedas; and Solaris, designed by CPG Consultants.
The one-north MRT station can be accessed through Connexis,
which includes multiple publicly accessible commercial spaces
above and below ground. Many F&B and retail spaces can be
found near the station, including on multiple levels in Connexis.
Mediapolis
The 12.32-hectare subsite primarily houses infocomm and media,
and office spaces. An important building here is Mediacorp,
which includes one-north Park Mediapolis on top of a car park
level that is also connected to the adjacent Tanglin Trust School
via an elevated walkway. The subsite further comprises office
buildings such as Razer, Seagate, and Alice@Mediapolis.
Mediapolis
One-north subsites.
Following pages: One-north, aerial view.
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King’s Cross, London
Master Plan: Allies and Morrison,
Porphyrios Associates, and Townshend
Landscape Architects
Landscape:
Townshend Landscape Architects
Developer: King’s Cross Central
Building Types: Offices, residential
developments, public and community
spaces, hospitality venues, educational
institutions, retail and lifestyle amenities,
leisure, and recreational facilities
Climate Zone: Temperate oceanic
Location: Central London, UK
Coordinates: 51° 31’ 54” N – 0° 7’ 22” W
Date: Ongoing (Master Plan 2001)
Site Area (redevelopment):
Approximately 0.27 km² (27 hectares)
Dynamic urban redevelopment area
revitalizing a once-industrial locale into
a vibrant, mixed-use community blending
business, leisure, residential, and cultural
spaces with expansive public squares
and parks.
Ground coverage in King’s Cross and its surrounding
urban context
0
200 400 600 1000 m
Key building locations in King’s Cross
0 50 100 200m
Grey landscape
Road
Building footprint
Future development
Green landscape
Waterbody
Park
Central Saint Martins
Coal Drops Yard
Gasholder Apartments
King’s Cross Station
St. Pancras
International Station
22 Handyside Street
Aga Khan Centre
Esperance Bridge/
Canalside green steps
Google King’s Cross
Meta Office
One St. Pancras
Square/Gridiron
Four Pancras Square
King’s Cross, also called the King’s Cross Opportunity Area,
is a vibrant urban district located in the boroughs of Camden and
Islington at the heart of London. Spanning 54 hectares overall,
it serves as a prominent international transport gateway, housing
the iconic St. Pancras and King’s Cross railway stations. 1 Distinct
from the traditional Central London ambiance, King’s Cross
features a rich mix of functions including arts, public services,
education, and digital communication, alongside bustling retail
outlets and culinary establishments. This multi-faceted character
stems from the comprehensive vision of the King’s Cross
Redevelopment Area master plan, which covers 27 hectares. 2
The area’s transformation was propelled by a design competition
in 1999, culminating in the adoption of a master plan crafted by
the architectural firms Allies and Morrison, Porphyrios Associates,
and Townshend Landscape Architects. Despite being framed
by its railway and roadway surroundings, the redevelopment
of King’s Cross has been strategically focused on enhancing its
physical, economic, and social fabric.
The mixed-use approach and well-designed public spaces have
made King’s Cross an attraction for a variety of sectors, including
technology, finance, and high-end fashion, further enriching
its urban texture. A standout feature of this regeneration is the
adaptive re-use of historic buildings, notably the conversion
of the Granary and Transit Sheds into the prestigious Central Saint
Martins art school. This integration of heritage with contemporary
urban planning and design underscores King’s Cross’s unique
position in London’s landscape. 3
Background
For over 30 years, economic factors and transport uncertainties
drove King’s Cross’s redevelopment. Once a neglected area, it was
designated an “opportunity area” in 2000, with plans to expand
workspace capacity responding to London’s growing needs.
The master plan, shaped by 2001’s “Principles for a Human City”,
a document that resulted from a two-week workshop with
development stakeholders, emphasized flexibility, sustainability,
and heritage preservation amidst economic fluctuations. The project
will ultimately offer 280,000 m² of workspace, 47,000 m² for
leisure, nearly 2,000 homes, and various educational and cultural
spaces. The transformation of the area has led to a significant
increase in office rents, surpassing the Central London average
by 19% in 2022, up from 48% below the average rent in 2010. 4
172
King’s Cross, isometric and aerial view.
173
Granary Square, aerial view.
Regent’s Canal.
174
Urban Policy and Land Use Strategy
Central London, recognized globally for its diverse functions,
includes King’s Cross as a dynamic part of its urban fabric, aimed
at boosting economic and employment growth. The London
Plan, the spatial development strategy by the Greater London
Authority, envisions King’s Cross as a mixed-use area with strong
transport links and smart urban design to foster business and
community development, particularly around the railway stations
for enhanced accessibility and job opportunities. 5
Local government has adopted a flexible planning approach,
allowing for a 20% variation in the master plan’s guidelines
for building uses, dimensions, and heights, catering to the
evolving market demands and ensuring diverse usage within
the development. 6
Master Plan
The King’s Cross Redevelopment Area’s master plan revitalized
the area by blending historic elements with a new mixed-use
framework, resulting in a distinct district identity.
The redevelopment introduced 50 new buildings, preserved 30
historic structures, created 20 new pathways, and established
ten public spaces, including Granary Square at the heart of
the district.
The master plan aimed to create a cohesive public realm, integrating
the district with Central London through a network of streets
and spaces, allocating 40% of the area to public zones. Notably,
the main north–south route was designed to serve as a
significant visual and navigational axis, enhancing accessibility.
The district, bisected by Regent's Canal, combines historical
and modern elements: Pancras Square anchors the south with
notable office buildings, while the north features the Granary
Building, surrounded by a blend of old and new constructions.
The planning emphasized flexibility in building arrangements
and land use, supporting diverse developments like the
adaptive re-use of the Granary for Central Saint Martins and
the transformation of the Coal Drops Yard into retail spaces.
Heritage buildings contribute to the area’s character, hosting
innovative functions ranging from retail to dining. The plan also
integrated the canal into the public realm, enhancing connectivity
and leisure options. Additionally, green spaces like Camley Street
Natural Park were preserved, fostering a vibrant, round-the-clock
community in King’s Cross. 7
Land use in King’s Cross and its surrounding urban context
0
250 500 1000m
Site plan with key areas and buildings
0 50 100 200m
Forest
Park
Farm
Waterbody
Business park
Commercial
Industrial
Transport
Residential
White zoning
Sub-area
South of the Canal
The Canal and Granary
Public spaces in the study
Lewis Cubitt Park
Lewis Cubitt Square
Granary Square
Battle Bridge Place
King’s Cross Square
Cluster Characteristics
The master plan for King’s Cross includes detailed design guidelines
for specific “sub-areas” within the district, notably the South of
the Canal and the Canal and Granary Area.
In South of the Canal, guidelines focused on complementing the
adjacent Grade I 8 railway stations, ensuring that new developments
provide appropriate backdrops and smooth transitions in scale.
The design aimed for clear connections from the primary
interchange to other parts of the area, with streets varying in
character to maintain a human-scale environment, aligning street
openings to frame key views. 9
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The Canal and Granary Area, central to the district, highlights
the canal and heritage buildings with an industrial flair. Design
goals here included the careful restoration of historic structures
and enhancing access to the underused canal as a public asset,
improving both physical and visual connections while respecting
the area’s unique architectural context.
Landscape Design
The landscape design of the district by Townshend Landscape
Architects aimed for inclusivity, establishing public routes and
spaces suitable for high footfall, integrating formal squares and
green spaces to create a variety of communal areas. Key spaces
include King’s Boulevard, Granary Square, Pancras Square,
Lewis Cubitt Park, Wharf Road Gardens, and Coal Drops Yard –
each with unique features and purposes.
Granary Square, spanning an area of approximately 8,000 m²
and ranking as one of Europe’s largest urban public spaces,
aligns its fountains with the iconic Granary Building, serving as
a central hub for public events. Pancras Square offers cascading
water, greenery, and seating, while Lewis Cubitt Park provides
sculpted lawns and trees as a local green retreat. Wharf Road
Gardens adds playful elements and greenery at the canal’s edge.
Coal Drops Yard combines industrial design with functional
public spaces, enhancing the shopping experience with
strategic plantings.
Building Clusters and Architecture
The buildings in King’s Cross feature a mix of large developments
along the periphery and smaller structures towards the centre
and northeast. Notably, extensive buildings such as railway
infrastructures and the Meta Office border the east, west, and
north, while the area around Regent’s Canal and Pancras Square
hosts medium-sized buildings within a courtyard block setup.
Handyside Street in the northeast transitions from commercial
and residential buildings to adjacent residential areas.
The architecture of King’s Cross blends adaptive re-use and new
constructions, maintaining a dialogue with the site’s past. Many
of the designs adopt a minimalist approach with well-proportioned
layouts, circulation, and planning, echoing the area’s industrial
history through cubic shapes, linear façades, clear level distinctions,
and traditional materials like brick, steel, and cast iron.
Adaptive Re-use and Restoration
These projects rejuvenate historical features and merge individual
buildings into cohesive units with modern social and retail spaces.
New additions such as the campus of Central Saint Martins,
Coal Drops Yard, and Gasholder Apartments complement
existing structures with prominent roof designs and glass
façades, enhancing the area of King’s Cross and St. Pancras
International stations.
Central Saint Martins
The development is a 40,000 m² mixed-use campus for the
University of the Arts London, housing Central Saint Martins
College of Arts and Design since 2011. Designed by Stanton
Williams, the campus emphasizes fluid circulation and
interconnectivity among departments. The project features
the restored 1851 Granary Building facing a new public square,
previously used for grain storage. The adjacent Eastern and
Western Transit Sheds, each 180 m long, have been repurposed
for workshops, shops, and bars. Two new four-storey studio
buildings, complementing the Granary, offer student housing
and frame a large courtyard, covered by a translucent ETFE roof
for exhibitions and activities, with a second, naturally lit internal
street below a glass skylight enhancing movement and light. 10
Coal Drops Yard
Coal Drops Yard, redeveloped in 2014 by Heatherwick Studio,
transforms two Victorian coal storage warehouses into a retail
and dining space. The innovative design raises and extends the
original gabled roofs using slate from the same quarry, creating
a central shaded area and an enclosed upper level under a
35-m-wide curved roof supported by 52 steel columns, merging
modernity with Victorian architecture. Surrounded by train viaducts,
the space enhances circulation with upper-level shops. The project
earned the RIBA London and National Awards in 2019. 11
Gasholder Apartments
The Gasholder Apartments, designed by WilkinsonEyre in 2018,
consist of three residential buildings set within historic 1867
cast-iron frames. The development features three cylindrical
structures of varying heights inspired by the original gasholders,
which increased or decreased depending on the gas pressure
inside. A central courtyard with a water feature connects the
buildings. The modern steel-and-glass façade contrasts with the
old iron frames, and the 145 apartments feature electronically
controlled perforated screens for privacy. 12
King’s Cross Station
King’s Cross station, redeveloped for the 2012 London Olympics,
included new constructions, re-use, and restoration, notably of
the Grade I listed façade. John McAslan + Partners redesigned
the station to highlight the original 1852 south façade by Lewis
Cubitt, playing a crucial role in the area’s regeneration. The
renovation features the prominent western concourse with its
vaulted canopy, along with upgrades to the eastern building and
both train sheds. The northern wing was restored to its original
design, enhancing pedestrian flow and ticket services. This blend
of old and new architecture has established King’s Cross as a
landmark transport hub. 13
176
St. Pancras International Station
The iconic Grade I listed Gothic Revival station, redeveloped by
Pascall + Watson, features restorations and new additions to
the original Barlow Shed. Extensions include “floating” canopies
for longer trains and new light wells enhancing views and
illuminating the retail concourse, connecting to King’s Cross
station and the London Underground. The project received the
Civic Trust Award 2009, RIBA Regional Award 2008, and was
a finalist for the RIBA Special Awards 2008 and Crown Estate
Conservation Award. 14
New Buildings
King’s Cross’s new buildings largely feature rectilinear layouts
with curtain wall glazing and additional fins as well as perforated
screens for light and privacy. Their design often references
historical architectural features with elements like plinths, bodies,
and roofs, alongside well-proportioned façades and skylights,
while the interiors embrace modernity with open plans, full-height
atria, rooftop gardens, and ground-floor areas dedicated to social
and retail activities, enhancing transparency and interaction.
Central Saint Martins.
22 Handyside Street
This three-storey building by Coffey Architects, constructed of
concrete and steel, complements its environment in scale
and volume, with a diagonal, multi-pitched roofline that reflects
the train tunnels below. The building’s glazed curtain wall façade
optimizes natural light, complemented by white perforated
aluminium panels. Inside, a central staircase with Valchromatcovered
sides stands out against the white walls, illuminated
from above by a triangular skylight. 15
Aga Khan Centre
The Aga Khan Centre, designed by Fumihiko Maki and
inaugurated in 2018, houses the Aga Khan Foundation’s offices,
research, and educational facilities. This nine-storey building
features a white Andalusian stone façade, ceramic fritted
windows, and a sharply angled glass roof. A central atrium runs
the full height of the interior, around which are arranged eight
Islamic gardens, spanning roof gardens, terraces, and multi-level
courtyards, all adorned with repeating geometric motifs on
doors, walls, glass, and ceilings. 16
Coal Drops Yard.
Esperance Bridge
The truss-form bridge, designed by Moxon Architects in 2021,
facilitates pedestrian movement from King’s Cross and
St. Pancras International stations to Granary Square and
Coal Drops Yard, as part of the shopping complex’s master plan.
Positioned atop an existing utility bridge, its curved, red-painted
carbon steel ribbons echo organic forms, offering a visually
striking river crossing complemented by canal-side green steps. 17
Google King’s Cross
The 11-storey workspace building, a collaboration between
Heatherwick Studio and BIG, opened in 2018, features a
330-m-long cascading design with terraced roof gardens above
boutique retail spaces at ground level facing the boulevard.
Its steel-glass façade, segmented into three tiers to respond to
Gasholder Apartments.
177
King’s Cross Station.
Aga Khan Centre.
St. Pancras International Station.
Esperance Bridge.
22 Handyside Street. Google King’s Cross.
178
the adjacent three-storey train shed buildings, includes horizontal
bands of angled, timber sun-shading fins interspersed with
greenery. The building offers 250 m of ground-level retail and
event spaces, enhancing the King’s Cross area’s urban appeal. 18
Meta Office
The Meta Office, an approximately 37,000 m 2 complex by
Bennetts Associates at Lewis Cubitt Square, consists of
four rectilinear structures with rooftop gardens aligned with
the site’s curved edge. Its façade features curtain wall glass
and double-layered bronze anodized aluminium panels and
louvres for shading. The design boasts high-ceilinged offices,
open corridors, and staircases leading to a central atrium
illuminated by a full-height skylight. The interior combines planter
greenery, exposed concrete, and steel fenestration, with diagonal
steel bracings nodding to the area’s industrial heritage. 19
One St. Pancras Square/Gridiron
The approximately 4,600 m 2 , eight-storey building by David
Chipperfield Architects, positioned between King’s Cross and
St. Pancras International stations, showcases classical architectural
features with horizontal concrete balconies and 396 vertical
columns in woven recycled cast iron. A double-height loggia
at ground level, adorned with Grigio Carnico marble, offers
a sheltered space with commercial outlets and an Underground
entrance. The building features climate-responsive design with a
hybrid ventilation system, active chilled beams, operable windows,
and rooftop solar panels. It has received multiple accolades,
including the Civic Trust Special Award for Sustainability 2016,
BREEAM Offices New Construction 2015, RIBA National
Award 2014, and New London Architecture Office Buildings
Award 2014. 20
Four Pancras Square
The ten-storey office building by Eric Parry Architects, featuring
two basement levels, has a distinct rust-red weathering steel grid
façade with white ceramic slab brise-soleil protecting the interior
glazing. This design pays homage to the 19th-century industrial
background, supported by a Vierendeel transfer structure for an
open-plan ground floor. The building, which earned a BREEAM
2014 Outstanding rating, boasts a moorland roof garden with
37 indigenous plant species and multiple ponds. 21
21 Meta Office.
One St. Pancras Square/Gridiron.
Following pages: Heatherwick Studio, Coal Drops Yard, 2018.
Four Pancras Square.
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