Key Facts:
Project summary: Temporary restaurant in former petrol station with a brief to develop a high profile activity driven destination to publicise the King’s Cross Masterplan.
Location: King’s Cross, London, UK
Programme: Restaurant, Event Space, Marketing Suite
Initiator: Argent
Project Duration: Up to 3 years from spring 2012
Lead in Time: 9 months
Site Area: 185m2 + 140m2 covered courtyard
Client Team:
- Argent – client developer
- Bistrotheque – restauranteur: brief for method and manner or restaurant bar space.
Project Team:
- Argent – client developer
- Bistrotheque – restauranteur
- Carmody Groarke – architect
- Carrilion – contractor
Funding Sources: Argent (confidential)
Project Costs (Build): Information Withheld
Project Costs (Operation): Information Withheld
Profitability/Loss: Information Withheld
Permissions / Permits: Planning Permission, Building Control approval, Liqueur license, Change of use
Local Links: None specific, working within the larger masterplan with its own local connections.
Publicity/advertising: High profile national press launch.
Project Evaluation:
Site Details & Ownership:
The site is owned by Argent as part of the King’s Cross Central Partnership.
Project Reach / Visitors / Target Audience:
There was no specific audience targeted in the application though the site brief was to create a destination that would draw people to the area and promote the King’s Cross Masterplan
Problems Encountered / Overcome:
[Information not supplied]
Feedback from users / staff:
“It has been great to work with Office of Change, and Carmody Groarke, an innovative and young practice, to bring this part of the development to life. We were keen to find an imaginative interim use for the petrol station site and the extraordinary design they have produced has surpassed our expectations alongside a really interesting programme for the building. The King’s Cross Filling Station is sure to become a great food destination as well as an exciting cultural and social space for the next two years, and will make a big contribution to the new piece of the city which we are creating here.”
David Partridge, King’s Cross Central Partnership
What next?
The restaurant is scheduled to remain in place for 2-3 years, at which point the site will be demolished to make way for residential development on the site as part of the masterplan.
If is unlikely that the restaurant will continue to exist on site in place of the masterplan, though subject to economic conditions development speed may change.
Complementary Programmes:
Project Website / Further Info: http://kxfs.co.uk