“The success of the development however doesn’t lie in the architecture but in the public spaces.”
The development group, Argent builds a new urban development in London and prioritises public space over architecture.
The city of London is known for its high rise development and iconic architecture, but a new mixed – use development is the city is doing things differently.
King’s Cross is a 27 hectare mixed used development in the center of the city, right next to a busy transport hub. Even though the construction of the whole site is not completed yet, it has already been occupied by a variety of different users and it is expected that over 30 000 people will be visiting King’s Cross everyday.
The success of the development however doesn’t lie in the architecture but in the public spaces. The Argent Industrial Group developed a set of 10 principles for a successful human city and applied all of these principles to the design of King’s Cross. These principles are based on ideas of community, people centred public spaces and a mix of different business opportunities.
The main focus of the development is on the public realm in and around the precinct and the buildings are seen as a response to the public realm. The developing strategy for the area has a long-term vision, with quality of life at its core.
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